Indonesian Financial Authority Urges Youth to Start Saving Early

The Indonesian Financial Services Authority (OJK) is actively encouraging the nation's youth to cultivate a saving habit, stressing that one does not need a large sum of money to begin.

Friderica Widyasari Dewi, Chair of the OJK Board of Commissioners, stated that saving is crucial for future financial independence. "Saving from an early age is very important for your future. Don't wait until you have a lot of money to save. Precisely so that the money grows, we must save little by little," she said at the peak of Indonesia National Saving Day and Financial Literacy Month 2026 in Bekasi.

While Indonesia's financial inclusion rate stands at a high 93.61 percent, the financial literacy rate is only 69.57 percent nationally. This gap is even more pronounced among students and university attendees. To address this, OJK initiated the "One Account One Student" (KEJAR) program, successfully opening 679,000 new student accounts from September 2025 to June 2026.

Dicky Kartikoyono, Head of OJK's Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy division, explained that saving is more than just setting aside money; it involves routine allocation. This practice fosters discipline, patience, and self-control in managing finances. OJK, in collaboration with the financial services industry, has also conducted over 270,000 "Bank Goes to School" events in 122,000 schools, aiming to instill saving habits and enhance financial understanding from a young age.

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Saving from an early age is very important for your future. Don't wait until you have a lot of money to save. Precisely so that the money grows, we must save little by little.