President Prabowo Inaugurates Pegadaian’s Gold Bank Service
JAKARTA, investortrust.id – President of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto officially inaugurates a new Gold Bank Service in Jakarta on Wednesday, Feb 26, 2025, to reinforce Indonesia’s economy and propel employment. The venture, introduced in collaboration with state-owned pawnshop firm Pegadaian and Bank Syariah Indonesia (BSI), is expected to expand gold-based banking options, drive national growth, and enhance financial inclusion.
The event takes place at The Gade Tower, headquarters of Pegadaian, part of the Holding Ultra Mikro under Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI). BSI is partially owned by BRI, with a 15% stake.
Marking the occasion by placing a gold bar into a treasure box, President Prabowo says, “I hereby inaugurate Pegadaian’s and Bank Syariah Indonesia's gold bank service.”
He predicts the gold bank will boost Indonesia’s gross domestic product (GDP) by Rp 245 trillion, create 1.8 million new jobs, and reduce foreign currency outflows by processing gold entirely in-country.
Other high-level attendees include Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir, Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Minister of Investment and Downstreaming Rosan Perkasa Roeslani, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia, and Governor of Bank Indonesia Perry Warjiyo.
Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir calls the gold bank a “historic milestone,” tapping an estimated 1,800 tons of privately held gold. He highlights a range of services, from gold deposits to gold trading, that will make it simpler for Indonesians to participate in the national gold market.
President Director of BRI Sunarso is optimistic about the gold bank’s economic impact, noting BRI’s ongoing support for Pegadaian through training, funding pipelines, and synergy with major mining entities. “As the lead entity in the Holding Ultra Mikro, we’re fully committed to ensuring this program’s success,” he says.
President Director of Pegadaian Damar Latri Setiawan expresses confidence in accelerating economic growth with the Gold Bank. Pegadaian handled 90 tons of gold-related business in 2024—through pawning, installments, and savings—and recorded a 35% jump in gold sales to 9 tons. “We expect a 13% profit boost by 2025 and aim to reach 12 tons in Gold Deposit Balance,” he adds.
Formed on Sept 13, 2021, the Holding Ultra Mikro includes BRI, Pegadaian, and Permodalan Nasional Madani (PNM) to deliver integrated financial solutions for micro enterprises. As of December 2024, it has set up 1,032 Sentra Layanan Ultra Mikro (Senyum) outlets nationwide, serving over 183 million savings customers and disbursing credit worth Rp 626.6 trillion.
BRI has also introduced a gold investment feature on its super app, BRImo, enabling investments starting at Rp 10,000. Since its February 2024 launch, BRImo’s gold transactions reached Rp 279.8 billion by December 2024. “With the Gold Bank, we can further accelerate national economic growth by expanding access to gold investments,” Sunarso concludes.
In closing, President Prabowo notes that Indonesia’s annual gold production now exceeds 160 tons, reflecting strong potential for this new ecosystem. “We hope to boost savings, strengthen gold reserves, and use these funds to advance our economy,” he says, thanking all who made this historic project a reality.