Below is a list with tagged columns and company profiles.
Today's Headlines Digital Economy
On 6 July 2023 Indonesia Investments released the June 2023 edition of its monthly report. In the report we present a number of analyses of topics (all related to the economy, politics and social matters) that were relevant in Indonesia in the month of June 2023.
On Thursday (6 April 2023), Indonesia Investments released the March 2023 edition of its monthly report. In this report we offer in-depth analyses of the key economic, political and social matters that impacted on Indonesia in the month of March 2023.
Over the past year, we released two stories on the merger of Gojek and Tokopedia, two Indonesian tech companies that have evolved into huge companies over the past decade (with Gojek having turned into a Decacorn and Tokopedia into a unicorn).
On Thursday (06.01.2022) Indonesia Investments released the December 2021 edition of its monthly report. This report discusses a range of subjects - related to political developments, the economy and social matters - that were important and influential issues in Indonesia in the month of December 2021.
While the digital economy of the Southeast Asian region was already developing at a very fast rate prior to the arrival of the COVID-19 crisis, it was this crisis that would act as a catalyst for even more rapid development of the region’s digital economy.
In recent months most attention went to the merger of Indonesian ‘superapp’ Gojek and e-commerce giant Tokopedia – including their plans to conduct an initial public offering (IPO) on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX). But we should not forget that another Indonesian e-commerce giant (and tech startup unicorn), called Bukalapak, is scheduled to list on the IDX on 6 August 2021.
Although we already discussed the (then-looming) merger between Aplikasi Karya Anak Bangsa (Gojek) and Tokopedia in detail in our January 2021 report, we do feel it is justified to cover this topic once more – albeit slightly more succinct this time – since it is now official (announced on 17 May 2021) that both sides re to merge, thus creating a massive entity (named GoTo) with an impressive and unique ecosystem.
Indonesia does not want to be left behind in terms of developing its digital economic potential. In early March 2021, the Indonesian government inaugurated the "Indonesian-style Silicon Valley" called Nongsa D-Town. This 5,000 m2 area is located on Batam Island, which is positioned very close to Singapore.
Digital banks will soon become a reality for Indonesians. Chief Executive of Banking Supervision of Indonesia's Financial Services Authority (in Indonesian: Otoritas Jasa Keuangan, or OJK) Heru Kristiyana recently confirmed that this supervisory agency is currently drafting regulations for the establishment of digital banks in Indonesia.
Possibly the biggest story in local Indonesian media over the past couple of days (if we exclude coverage of any COVID-19-related matters) is the news that Gojek is in talks (in fact in the final stages, reportedly) to merge with Tokopedia. Based on the input of people familiar with the matter, the two companies have agreed to conduct due diligence on their respective businesses.
Latest Columns Digital Economy
It is widely known that Indonesia’s digital economy has been expanding rapidly over the past 10-15 years (and the COVID-19 crisis, in fact, accelerated this development in a significant manner). In this article, we take a look at the rise of digital payments across Indonesia.
The recent banking crisis that started with the collapse of three regional American banks (in the second week of March 2023) – and spread further when Credit Suisse was on the brink of collapse before a forced take-over by UBS Group – can be linked to the tech sector (although we emphasize that weak corporate management at the banks in combination with central banks’ ultra-low interest rate environment and the huge quantities of free money that were pumped into economies are the primary reasons for the recent banking crisis).
While the benchmark stock indices in the United States, China and Japan all showed steep declines in 2022, Indonesia’s benchmark stock index (IDX Composite or IHSG) managed to rise 4.09 percent to 6,850.62 points last year.
At the latest annual meeting of Indonesia’s central bank (Bank Indonesia), this lender of last resort presented a white paper on the digital rupiah (central bank digital currency, or CBDC). Just like what is happening abroad (and likely also in response to the rise of cryptocurrencies), Bank Indonesia is eager to launch a digital rupiah, possibly ultimately aiming to gradually phase out the use of physical money (notes and coins).
The micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) of Indonesia are an interesting phenomenon. Why? Well, let’s take a look at three remarkable statistics:
Breaches of personal data are unfortunately common news in Indonesia as it occurs on a widespread and frequent basis in not only the public sectors, but also in private sectors.
Indonesia’s benchmark stock index (Jakarta Composite Index, or IHSG) grew 10.08 percent in full-year 2021, a good performance after a volatile and highly uncertain 2020 when the COVID-19 crisis emerged. At around 6,580 points on the first trading day of 2022, the index remains at near-record high territory (with the record being set recently, in mid-November 2021, at around 6,750 points).
The digital economy of Indonesia has been booming over the past 15 years. Today, life without Internet, smartphones, and apps is unimaginable for most people (both for personal and business reasons).
Indonesia’s digital economy is very promising. Near the end of 2019, Google and Singaporean wealth fund Temasek revised their projection for Indonesia's Internet economy (upwards) to reach USD $133 billion, in total value, by 2025. This would be a big jump from the value of around USD $40 billion in 2019.
The COVID-19 outbreak has continued to impact digital media consumption worldwide. Internet platforms, such as e-commerce, now play a pivotal role in our daily lives. On the bright side of current situations, e-commerce is growing all over the world, including in Indonesia. This is because behavioral shifts amongst Indonesians to choose online platforms as their safest place to conduct their daily activities, such as shopping, working or just meeting with some friends.
