Bank Indonesia moves to issue a national stablecoin backed by government bonds

• The Financial Services Authority is enforcing AML compliance for stablecoin traders.
• Indonesia ranks seventh in the 2025 Global Crypto Adoption Index.
• The government is exploring Bitcoin as a potential reserve asset.

Bank Indonesia (BI) is advancing plans to introduce a blockchain-based financial instrument described as the country’s “national stablecoin version,” a digital currency backed by government bonds.

The initiative was unveiled by BI Governor Perry Warjiyo at the Indonesia Digital Finance and Economy Festival and Fintech Summit 2025 in Jakarta.

It reflects Indonesia’s effort to integrate blockchain technology into its monetary system through tokenised securities tied to the digital rupiah. The announcement was first reported by CNBC Indonesia.

The central bank said the new digital assets will take the form of tokenised government securities backed by the central bank’s planned digital rupiah, Indonesia’s central bank digital currency (CBDC).

The project is designed to blend monetary innovation with national financial stability, positioning Indonesia among a handful of emerging economies developing bond-backed digital assets.

Digital rupiah to underpin Indonesia’s national stablecoin

According to Warjiyo, the bank will issue digital versions of its securities, referred to as Bank Indonesia securities in digital form, which will operate as blockchain-based representations of sovereign bond holdings.

These digital securities will be backed by the digital rupiah, making them the foundation of what the central bank describes as Indonesia’s national stablecoin.

He explained that the stablecoin structure would rely on government bonds, or Surat Berharga Negara (SBN), as its underlying collateral, ensuring that its value remains tied to official assets rather than speculative cryptocurrencies.

The initiative marks a step towards tokenising the country’s debt market, creating an ecosystem where digital securities, stablecoins, and the central bank digital currency coexist.

Warjiyo said the plan reflects BI’s broader digital finance strategy aimed at improving transparency, efficiency, and liquidity across financial markets.

If successful, it could reshape how monetary authorities interact with blockchain infrastructure in Southeast Asia.

Blockchain integration into Indonesia’s monetary system

The introduction of the bond-backed digital rupiah is expected to strengthen Indonesia’s transition towards a blockchain-integrated economy.

While stablecoins are not currently recognised as legal tender, their use in payments and remittances has increased, prompting regulatory attention from Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority, known as the OJK.

Dino Milano Siregar, who leads the OJK’s crypto and digital asset division, said the agency enforces anti-money laundering (AML) compliance and requires periodic reporting from stablecoin traders.

The OJK’s supervision reflects growing awareness of the potential systemic role of digital assets, even without formal recognition as payment instruments.

Siregar added that stablecoins are already being used as hedging tools, especially those backed by credible assets such as government bonds or reserve currencies.

Their comparatively lower volatility makes them appealing for remittance transactions and cross-border settlements.

This practical use case aligns with BI’s ambition to institutionalise a regulated form of stable value exchange through the digital rupiah.

Indonesia among global leaders in crypto adoption

Indonesia’s rapid shift towards digital finance is underpinned by strong adoption trends. The country ranks seventh in the 2025 Global Crypto Adoption Index published by Chainalysis.

It placed ninth in retail activity, seventh in value received through centralised exchanges, and fourth in decentralised finance (DeFi) transactions.

These figures highlight Indonesia’s growing role in global digital asset markets.

In August, local advocacy group Bitcoin Indonesia reported that government officials were exploring Bitcoin as a potential reserve asset, with discussions centred on how such holdings could diversify national reserves and stimulate economic growth.

If Indonesia proceeds with its stablecoin framework alongside its digital rupiah and potential Bitcoin reserve diversification, it could emerge as a major blockchain hub in Asia.

The combination of regulatory oversight, tokenised government debt, and CBDC integration places Indonesia among countries like China and Singapore that are redefining the future of sovereign-backed digital assets.

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