Muhammad Ghafur Fadillah, Jakarta – The number of investors in Indonesia's capital market rose to 17 million by the end of June 2025, up from 14.87 million at the end of 2024 and 12.17 million at the end of 2023, reflecting a 40 percent growth in just 18 months. Domestic retail investors continue to dominate, accounting for around 16.948 million of the total investors, as more Indonesians turn to the capital market for investment opportunities.
Indonesia's investor base stands out in Southeast Asia, where Thailand has around 6 million retail investor accounts, Malaysia has over 5 million, and the Philippines recorded 2.86 million stock market accounts in 2024, with retail investors comprising the vast majority in each market.
Irvan Susandy, Director of Trading and Membership Regulation at the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX), said that an average of 179,000 investors actively trade daily in Indonesia, reflecting increased financial literacy and participation in capital market investment products.
"Based on ownership data, domestic investors now hold about 18.2 percent of total securities ownership on the IDX," Irvan said during a media briefing in Jakarta on Monday.
Although institutional investors, both domestic and foreign, still dominate overall securities ownership, the share held by retail investors has shown a promising upward trend. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, retail ownership stood at just 10.6 percent.
The growth in retail investor numbers aligns with their increasing contribution to trading activity. In the first half of 2025, domestic retail investors accounted for approximately 44 percent of the total transaction value on the IDX, maintaining their position as the largest contributors to daily trading activities in the Indonesian capital market.
Irvan attributed this achievement to the IDX's strategy in building an inclusive and sustainable capital market ecosystem. The exchange has intensified educational initiatives to enhance public understanding and participation in capital market investments.
"We continue to push for massive education efforts, both offline and online, in collaboration with all stakeholders, including our representative offices across Indonesia, investment galleries, capital market ambassadors, and through social media," Irvan said.
These education initiatives are not limited to major cities but also target communities in various regions to ensure equitable financial literacy, aiming to promote a more competitive and long-term oriented retail investor base.