Jakarta. Marking its fifth anniversary, AstraPay reaffirmed its role as a strategic partner in advancing national financial inclusion through the AstraPay Inspirational Dialogue 2025, themed “#AnythingIsPossible: It’s Time for Youth to Take the Lead.”

Held at Catur Dharma Hall, Menara Astra, Jakarta, the event welcomed over 150 attendees, including representatives from national media, youth communities, and MSME players from various sectors.

Three speakers shared comprehensive insights during the 30-minute forum: Elyana K. Widyasari, Deputy Director of the Payment System Policy Department at Bank Indonesia; Aliyah Natasha, a financial expert and an inspiring youth figure; and Karnanda Kurniardhi, VP of Partnerships at AstraPay.

Beyond the discussion, the event also served as a platform to celebrate outstanding written works through the announcement of winners for the AstraPay Journalism Awards 2025, a competition open to journalists, bloggers, and the general public passionate about financial literacy.

Collaboration: The Key to Advancing National Financial Inclusion
In her opening remarks, AstraPay CEO Rina Apriana reflected on the company’s five-year journey, stressing that its success has been built on collaboration with regulators, strategic partners, and youth communities.

“Five years ago, AstraPay was founded with a single mission: to provide simple, secure, and reliable digital payment solutions for all Indonesians, particularly young people and MSMEs. Today, we are grateful to be trusted by more than 16.2 million users, with 220.4 million total transactions and a cumulative transaction value of Rp135.9 trillion,” Rina said.

AstraPay continues to strengthen its ecosystem with support from 43 Astra business units and partnerships with 126 strategic partners, both within and beyond the Astra Group. These include collaborations with Halodoc, MyPertamina, Sayurbox, MRT Jakarta, Transjakarta, and TransJogja.

In addition, AstraPay is now accepted at over 27,000 QRIS merchants nationwide, expanding access to digital transactions that are seamless, efficient, and relevant to everyday needs.

Rina also underscored AstraPay’s commitment to empowering young people -- not only externally, with 60 percent of AstraPay’s users being youth, but also internally, where 90 percent of its employees are from younger generations, driving continuous innovation and growth.

“This is proof that AstraPay is a platform built, run, and developed together with Indonesia’s youth,” she said.

Regulator’s Perspective: Digital Payments as an Economic Recovery Pillar
In her presentation, Bank Indonesia Deputy Director Elyana K. Widyasari highlighted the importance of accelerating digital payment systems as a backbone for financial inclusion.

“Indonesia is enjoying a demographic bonus, but the purchasing power of young people and lower-middle-income groups remains a challenge. Industry collaboration, like AstraPay’s initiatives, is crucial to improving financial literacy among the youth,” she said.

Echoing this view, Financial Expert Aliyah Natasha stressed that in the face of economic pressures, young people possess powerful tools -- digital literacy and adaptability.

“Digital transactions are no longer a lifestyle choice but a survival tool. Apps like AstraPay help young people manage cash flow, budgeting, and efficient cashless transactions,” Aliyah explained.

She encouraged youth to take an active role in driving the economy through mindful consumption and leveraging digital platforms.

Adding to the discussion, AstraPay’s VP of Partnerships, Karnanda Kurniardhi, outlined how AstraPay serves as an accessible, relevant, and youth-friendly financial solution.

AstraPay’s key initiatives include:

Savings Features: Cashback, promotions, and bill payment reminders.

Financial Control Tools: Transaction histories for personal finance monitoring.

Loyalty Programs: Active user communities and engagement initiatives.

Support for MSMEs: QRIS payments without additional devices, merchant dashboards for transaction tracking, and financial literacy programs in collaboration with communities.

“AstraPay is more than just a payment tool -- it’s an enabler of healthy financial lifestyles. When young people are financially literate, #AnythingIsPossible, including bottom-up economic recovery for Indonesia,” Karnanda concluded.

AstraPay Journalism Awards: A Platform for Media and Public Expression
As part of its commitment to fostering financial literacy in Indonesia, AstraPay also announced the winners of the AstraPay Journalism Awards 2025 during the event.

This competition was open not only to media professionals such as journalists and bloggers but also to the general public with an interest in writing and financial education.

The program offers a platform for anyone to contribute through written works -- including articles, opinion pieces, and reviews -- highlighting issues around digital finance, financial inclusion, and payment innovations that empower communities, particularly young people and MSMEs.

Through the Journalism Awards, AstraPay hopes to inspire more impactful content from the public, serving not only as recognition but also as part of a broader movement to advance financial literacy and strengthen Indonesia’s digital economy ecosystem.