Indonesia's financial services regulator first expressed its intentions to establish a crypto exchange back in 2021.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Trade is reportedly aiming to roll out a national crypto exchange by June this year, six months after its previous target of December 2022.
Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan shared the new target launch date on Feb. 2 at the opening of Crypto Literacy Month in Jakarta, noting that the government is currently reviewing which companies meet their criteria to become part of the exchange, according to local reports.
There are five active crypto exchanges which are currently registered with the country's regulators, and according to Zulkifli the ministry’s crypto exchange could encompass all of them.
While these exchanges are currently facilitating all trades within the nation, the ministry’s exchange would act as a clearing house and custodian in the local crypto market.
A clearing house is essentially a mediator between a buyer and seller, ensuring the transaction goes smoothly. At the same time, its role as a custodian would see it manage the movement of assets between the two parties.
The Trade Minister urged the public to be patient with the national crypto exchange, saying: “Let us not rush because if it is not ready, things will get messy. The government does not want this to massively take a toll on the public because people do not know much [about crypto trading].”
As previously reported by Cointelegraph, Indonesia had planned to set up its crypto exchange by the end of 2022, but it was delayed due to a number of obstacles.
Crypto assets in the country are currently traded alongside commodity contracts and supervised by the Commodity Futures Trading Regulatory Agency — also known as Bappebti — but the regulatory power will shift to the Financial Services Authority following the creation of a national exchange.
The regulatory shift comes in response to new crypto regulations ratified on Dec. 15, which recognize crypto and other digital assets as regulated financial securities.
On Dec. 5 the Bank of Indonesia’s Governor Perry Warjiyo had announced that a central bank digital currency it was planning to launch would be the only legal digital tender in the nation.
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers.
Recommended Content
Editors’ Picks
Ethereum supply shrinks by 70,000 ETH. Will Ethereum price hit $2,000?

Ethereum transition from Proof-of-Work to Proof-of-Stake (PoS) was the last major upgrade to the altcoin’s blockchain and the Shanghai hard fork is the next one. The shift to PoS purged 70,000 ETH tokens from the altcoin’s circulating supply.
Decentraland Price Forecast: What to expect from MANA as Metaverse Fashion Week kicks off

Decentraland price (MANA) has identified critical support on day one of the Metaverse Fashion Week. The token is trading horizontally on the four-hour timeframe as bulls push to break above a descending trendline.
Ethereum devs confirm withdrawals to begin on April 12; Here's what to expect from ETH price

Ethereum is on the verge of bringing about one of the biggest upgrades to the blockchain since the Merge. The arrival of withdrawals has been anticipated for a long time now, however, it may not be as lucrative for Ethereum price as one might expect.
Ripple holders' profit taking hits a 19-month high as XRP price shoots up by 42%
XRP price has performed beyond expectations and has marked a multi-month high, restoring confidence in its investors. These holders have also made the most of the situation and turned to sell, which could backfire on the price action soon.
Bitcoin: Should you trust this BTC sell signal or wait for $34,000?

Bitcoin price shows a clear picture of its rally after it breached a long-term bullish pattern in mid-January. As the rally takes a breather, sell signs have started to emerge, which is putting investors in a confused state.