Ayu Cipta, Jakarta – A consumer advocate, Tulus Abadi, has expressed concerns regarding Bank Indonesia's (BI) plan to implement a new Payment ID system. This new policy is designed to track all public transaction activities, including those made through banking, digital wallets, and other channels.
According to Tulus, this system could expose all transaction activities of individuals. "All transactions will be linked to each individual's National Identification Number (NIK)," he told Tempo on Monday, August 11, 2025.
Tulus, the Chairperson of the Indonesian Empowered Consumer Forum (FKBI), mentioned that the public is still reeling from the controversial dormant account blockings and is now troubled by the planned Payment ID.
Tulus believed the policy has the potential to violate citizens' rights, including banking confidentiality, transaction security, and personal data protection. "Bank Indonesia is delving too far into the private lives of citizens, which could potentially violate human rights," he stated.
He suspected that the Payment ID will primarily serve as a tool to boost tax revenue at the expense of citizens' rights. He also added that this policy is not yet an international standard practice, stating that similar policies are only in place in five countries: Singapore, Sweden, India, Brazil, and China.
Tulus warned BI against acting recklessly, especially if the motivation is to increase tax revenue. He argued that the government should instead focus on collecting taxes from high-profile taxpayers, both corporations and wealthy individuals.
Furthermore, he believed that implementing the Payment ID could erode public trust in the banking sector and digital transactions. "The sustainability of the digital economy is threatened, which will ultimately be detrimental to both the public and the state," Abadi concluded.
What is Payment ID?
Payment ID is a payment identity system based on the NIK that aims to integrate all individual financial transactions. Under this system, each person would have a unique financial identity connected to various transaction channels, from bank accounts and credit cards to digital wallets and fintech platforms.
Previously, BI's Director of the Payment System Policy Department, Dudi Dermawan, explained that the Payment ID is intended to create a transparent and accountable payment system.
He noted that the rapid growth of digital payments has resulted in fragmented transaction data across various platforms, with many people having multiple, unconnected accounts and digital wallets. With Payment ID, every citizen would have a unique code to prevent the duplication of financial identities.
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2038248/advocate-warns-payment-id-could-potentially-citizens-right