Jakarta. Indonesia has picked Bali as the location for its upcoming international financial center, as its senior officials recently checked out the province during the long weekend.

President Prabowo Subianto recently floated a plan to set up a special financial center to attract foreign investors. In a Bali business trip, Chief Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto said the government had been drafting a regulation for a financial-sector special economic zone (SEZ) in the tourist haven. Indonesia is also planning to speed up the work in Kura Kura Bali SEZ.

“What can Kura Kura Bali SEZ offer as the location for the financial center? This is something that can be discussed with the [sovereign wealth fund] Danantara,” Airlangga was quoted as saying by the state news agency Antara.

Bali Turtle Island Development, the agency in charge of the Kura Kura Bali SEZ, said that the area boasted a so-called “knowledge district” ecosystem, which would be supported by an innovation center as well as an international mangrove research center. The Kura Kura Bali SEZ is also expecting to see the completion of several strategic projects this year. As of Q1 2026, the SEZ attracted Rp 1.62 trillion ($93 million), creating jobs for 2,146 people.

Bali also has another SEZ, the Sanur, which aims to become a world-class healthcare destination. One of its flagship facilities includes the Bali International Hospital, which has been operational since April 2025. Sanur SEZ recorded Rp 5.37 trillion ($309 million) in investments in the first quarter. It created jobs for 5,444 people and amassed 279,804 visitors during the three-month period.

Prabowo unveiled the financial center plan when he held a meeting in the wake of the Iran war. The retired army general said that investors had moved their assets out of the Gulf nations as uncertainties soared following the clashes.

“Indonesia is among the countries considered the safest if World War III ever breaks out. Just see how many Russians and Ukrainians are in Bali. We are planning to set up a special financial center,” Prabowo said at the time.

Official statistics showed foreign direct investment inflows to Indonesia totaled Rp 250 trillion (almost $14.4 billion) in the first quarter of 2026.

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