Pigai Says Bali Is Being Prepared as a Financial Center
Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai said Bali is being developed as an International Financial Center, broadening its economy beyond tourism and supporting new business sectors.
Editor: Mursyid Sonsang
· 2 min read
Denpasar — Bali is being prepared as an International Financial Center to broaden economic activity beyond tourism, Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai said at the Bali-Timor Leste Business Forum 2026 on Oct. 2.
The change comes as the government seeks to develop Bali and Jakarta as financial centers. Pigai said the plan for Bali would support the growth of businesses in several sectors and make the island’s economy more diverse.
Why Bali’s financial-center plan matters to foreign residents
For foreign residents, visitors and investors, the proposal signals an intended expansion of Bali’s role from an international tourism destination into a broader business and finance hub. The reports describe a policy direction, not a new immigration rule or an immediate change to the rights or obligations of foreign nationals.
Pigai said the presence of an International Financial Center in Bali would encourage other businesses to develop. The sectors identified in the reports include agriculture, fisheries, forestry and business-support services, alongside finance and tourism.
The announcement was made during the Indonesia-Timor Leste business forum at Awan Auditorium 3, Tsinghua Southeast Asia Center, in the Kura Kura Bali Special Economic Zone in Serangan, Denpasar. The forum brought together government representatives, businesses, investors, academics, small and medium-sized enterprises and other stakeholders from Indonesia and Timor-Leste.
Forum materials described Bali as an international destination, a MICE center, a tourism and creative-economy center, and part of Indonesia’s business and investment ecosystem. They also positioned the island as a prospective center for international business and conferences, economic diplomacy and financial services in the Asia-Pacific region.
The reports do not state a timetable for the Bali center or announce specific financial, immigration or employment rules for foreign nationals. They identify the government’s stated objective and the wider economic rationale: creating activity beyond Bali’s established dependence on tourism.
Sources
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