Jakarta. The younger generation dominates the individual investor base in Indonesia's capital market, with people aged 30 years or younger making up 54.92 percent of the 14.8 million individual investors, an official said on Monday.

"The overall number of individual investors has increased by 2.6 million as of December 24, bringing the total number of stock exchange individual investors to 14.81 million," said Aditya Jayaantara, a deputy at the Financial Services Authority (OJK) overseeing capital market investment. "Notably, 54.92 percent of those individual investors are below 30 years old."

According to OJK data, Indonesia's capital markets attracted Rp 251 trillion ($15. billion) in transactions this year, surpassing the target of Rp 200 trillion.

"By December 27, [the Indonesian Stock Exchange] hosted 187 initial public offerings and welcomed 35 new members, with transactions totaling Rp 251 trillion," Aditya said. "This is well above our target of Rp 200 trillion, further demonstrating growing investor confidence in the Indonesian capital market."

The positive developments came in a turbulent year marked by two rounds of nationwide elections for the president, parliament members, and local leaders.

The Indonesian Stock Exchange (IDX) is the sole stock exchange in Indonesia, providing a platform for trading stocks, bonds, derivatives, and other securities. Over the years, the IDX has seen substantial growth in investor participation, supported by digitalization and robust financial literacy campaigns. The exchange has also gained recognition for its efforts to attract small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to go public through its dedicated SME board.

In addition to being a hub for trading activities, the IDX actively promotes sustainability initiatives. It encourages listed companies to adopt environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices, aligning with global trends in sustainable investing.

As of 2023, the IDX has been one of the most dynamic stock exchanges in Southeast Asia, known for its steady increase in retail investor participation and successful initial public offerings (IPOs).