Indonesia’s New Crypto Tax and Regulatory Policies: Why You Need a More Trusted Wallet

In 2025, it will be a year of profound changes in the cryptocurrency industry policies for users in Indonesia. Firstly, starting from January 10, 2025, the agency supervising cryptocurrency assets will shift from Bappebti to OJK. The regulatory focus will change from “commodity/speculative goods” to “digital financial assets (DFA)” — this means that the trading, custody, and wallet/custodial services of encryption assets will be incorporated into the financial regulatory system.

At the same time, the tax system is undergoing reform: the Indonesian Ministry of Finance announced in July 2025 that the tax rate on encryption transactions will be significantly increased — 0.21% for sellers on domestic exchanges and up to 1% for sellers on overseas exchanges. Although buyers are exempt from value-added tax (VAT), the overall tax burden and regulatory thresholds have clearly increased.

In addition, the app store policies also appear to be trending severe. In August 2025, Google Play released new regulations requiring encryption wallet applications to obtain local financial licenses before they can go live. This policy once raised concerns, especially regarding non-custodial wallets. Although Google later stated that non-custodial wallets are not currently restricted, the uncertainty of the policy still causes confusion for users.

Why are wallets more important than exchanges in a new environment?

• Higher compliance requirements: Exchanges and custodial wallets must apply for licenses. If you hold assets on non-compliant platforms, once the platform is shut down or services are prohibited, your assets may be locked.
• Tax and regulatory transparency: compliant wallets/platforms are more likely to adhere to local tax systems and AML/KYC requirements, reducing future legal/tax risks.
• Asset control and security: Storing assets in a wallet that you control can better ensure security and control compared to placing assets on an exchange—especially in times of regulatory uncertainty or changes in platform policies.

Gate Wallet: Compliance + Functionality + User-Friendly All-in-One

In this context, compliant Web3 wallets like Gate Wallet are particularly important.

• Gate Wallet will undergo a comprehensive upgrade in 2025, supporting multiple chains and assets, and integrating DApp/NFT/cross-chain functions—making it very convenient for users who wish to flexibly use Web3 services and manage various encryption assets.
• The security mechanism includes private key encryption backup, encrypted storage, etc., while providing a relatively user-friendly interface and operation for ordinary users, lowering the usage threshold.
• The goal of the new wallet is to make it both an asset storage container and an entry point into ecosystems like Web3, DeFi, and NFTs, which is particularly valuable in Indonesia’s current environment of compliance and application restrictions.

Practical advice for Indonesian users

• Prioritize compliant wallets/platforms: Use wallets/exchanges that have obtained OJK or relevant licenses to avoid being unable to access assets due to policy changes.
• Don’t put all your assets in one place: diversify storage — some assets in cold wallets/self-custody wallets; some for trading or DeFi.
• Safeguard your private keys or recovery seed: Do not operate on public devices/public networks to prevent leakage.
• Pay attention to official and policy trends: Indonesia and the global encryption regulatory environment are changing rapidly, keep up to date with the latest regulations and compliance requirements.

In 2025, when regulations and tax systems become stricter, a reliable, comprehensive, secure, and compliant wallet is more valuable for Indonesian cryptocurrency users than just a trading platform. The upgrade of Gate Wallet is the ideal choice for many people to manage digital assets in the current environment.