Fintech Provider in Payment Sector Must Now Registered at Bank Indonesia

Bank Indonesia issued a policy requiring fintech (financial technology) developer in payment system to register at central bank. The rule will be applied on January 1st, 2018. It's stated in Bank Indonesia's regulation (PBI) Number 19/12/17 on the Implementation of Financial Technology.

Bank central expects, with this policy, fintech startups can develop and contribute to push Indonesia's economic growth by prioritizing risk mitigation aspects.

"BI sees a fast growing fintech can be used to push Indonesia's economic growth. By innovation, the activities should be better. It also necessary to know the risk of fast growing fintech. The BI rule is a way to balance it," said Sugeng, Bank  Indonesia's Deputy Governor on Thursday (12/7).

PBI's scope consists of registration rule, regulatory sandbox, licensing and approval, also monitoring and supervision.

Furthermore, there are five types of fintech classified by BI. It is payment system, market support, investment and risk management, financial loan and funding provider with other financial services.

Fintech criteria is regulated with five indicators, such as innovative, impactful on products/services/technologies and/or existing financial business model, beneficial for society, be widely used and other criteria set by BI.

Sugeng said, required registration is only for fintech provider which will or has done activities fit to the fintech criteria and under other authority, providing fintech in payment system.

Registered companies (and permitted by other authority) are not required to register. However, providing information regarding their business is sufficient.

"Unless the fintech's payment, system already got permission as payment system provider (PJSP) by BI."

Moreover, bank central issued two derivative rules of PBI Fintech as follows, governing board regulation (PADG) Number 19/14/PADG/2017 on fintech's regulatory sandbox and PADG Number 19/15/PADG/2017 on how to register, deliver information, and monitor fintech's implementation.

Junanto Herdiawan, BI's Fintech Office Acting Head added, registered fintech provider will get into regulatory sandbox to see business model side and potential risk generated. Fintech company might go there for six month with a one-time renewal option.

"Later, the result will be seen whether it was working, not working or other status we set," said Herdiawan, closely called as Iwan.

Immediately set an explicit prohibition regarding bitcoin

The PBI states fintech's requirements in using Rupiah in every transaction. It means prohibition for any other currency in transaction, including virtual currency like bitcoin.

For Sugeng, the prohibition is basically due to the high-level volatility of virtual currency. It is concerned to have negative impact, then decided as invalid payment instrument.

Bank central is currently finalize the virtual currency prohibition as payment and investment instrument. BI plans to explicitly prohibit the virtual currency by issuing new rule in January 2018.

Unlike bitcoin, blockchain as supporting technology is not prohibited. In fact, BI is exploring ways to apply blockchain's technology next year.

"Blockchain technology is not prohibited," said Iwan.

– Original article is in Indonesian, translated by Kristin Siagian