Jakarta. State-run pawnbroker Pegadaian has partnered with the Financial Services Authority (OJK) to create 100,000 "young sultans," or basically youths who are financially literate and know how to make sound investments.

Both agencies have also teamed up with the South Sumatra provincial government to hold the so-called Sumsel Gencarkan & Youngpreneur Summit 2025 at OJK's local office last week. According to Pegadaian, this campaign aimed to boost the younger generation's financial literacy and inclusion. The event also saw the launch of an education center for South Sumatra's young sultans.

According to Pegadaian's finance and strategic planning director Ferdian Timur Satyagraha, the company seeks to improve youth's financial literacy while also offering them various safe gold-based investment products.

"The younger generation will be the main driver of our economy in the future. However, they are also the most vulnerable group to illegal financial traps due to a lack of exposure to financial literacy. Therefore, Pegadaian is here to provide safe and affordable investment literacy and solutions through various gold-based investments, such as Gold Savings," Ferdian was quoted as saying in a press statement.

Pegadaian also introduced its Gold Savings, which they said to be an inclusive investment instrument for all groups.

People can start saving gold at Pegadaian starting from just 0.01 grams or Rp 10,000 (less than $1).

Customers can also use the Gold Savings balance to be pawned and have it as collateral for hajj. They can also deposit them through Pegadaian's Gold Deposit.

President Prabowo Subianto first launched Pegadaian's gold bullion bank services in February 26. Since then, Pegadaian Bank Emas' gold bullion had recorded over 1.1 tons in transactions as of early May. Ferdian said that the program also aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals on quality education and economic growth.

"We believe that financial literacy is an effort to build a strong, independent character that is ready to face economic challenges. We hope that more and more young people will not only be successful entrepreneurs but also financially intelligent. Moreover, now you can transact Gold Savings to Gold Deposits through Pegadaian Digital easily, quickly, safely and comfortably," Ferdian said.

The event also had an educational talk show featuring OJK's deputy director Halimatus Sa'diyah, Puri Andamas from South Sumatra's young entrepreneur association BPD HIPMI, as well as Pegadaian's assistant vice president Mery Andriati Surya. Mery talked of Pegadaian's role in fostering young entrepreneurs through inclusive financial products such as Gold Savings, which can help people work on their financial independence from an early age.

The campaign also saw the launch of OJK Peduli's financial literacy ambassadors. Pegadaian also gave these ambassadors a token of appreciation in the form of gold savings. One of the awardees was Elfiza Yuliastini, a manager at Bank Sampah Sakura, a waste bank fostered by Pegadaian's regional office III in Palembang. As the name suggests, these financial literacy ambassadors are expected to help enhance Indonesians' financial literacy and teach them about legal and safe financial products.