How much money do you need to start a business in Indonesia?

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  Kevin Tan · Foreign Client Director · 10 June 2026

  The honest answer is "it depends on how you count," because Indonesia uses two different numbers and people constantly mix them up. Here's how to think about it for a foreign-owned PT PMA in 2026.

  1. Paid-up capital: IDR 2.5 billion (real cash). Under BKPM Reg 5/2025 this dropped 75% — from IDR 10 billion. This is money that genuinely sits in your company bank account. The catch is the 12-month lock-up: you can't withdraw it for a year, but you can and should spend it on running the business — salaries, rent, equipment — proven through quarterly LKPM reports. So it's not "dead" money; it's your operating runway, just ring-fenced inside the company.

  2. Investment plan: over IDR 10 billion (a commitment, not upfront cash). Per 5-digit KBLI per location, your declared total investment plan must exceed IDR 10 billion, excluding land and buildings. This is a plan over time covering fixed assets and working capital — not cash you wire on day one. For capital-heavy projects it's easily met; for lean service businesses it's a planning figure.

  What about the rest of the budget? Beyond capital, budget for setup costs (notary, OSS, professional fees), your office or virtual-office address, and visas — an Investor or Work KITAS per foreign person. And remember tax and accounting are ongoing from day one.

  So the practical floor to start is the IDR 2.5 billion in real capital plus your setup and operating costs — with a credible plan toward the larger investment figure. Tell us your business model and we'll give you a realistic number for your specific case: PT PMA Company Setup.