Bitcoin Dubbed ‘Digital Gold’ as Crypto Investor Numbers Surge Past Gold Holders in Indonesia
Main Takeaways
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JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — The number of cryptocurrency investors in Indonesia has surged past those investing in gold, reinforcing Bitcoin’s growing reputation as “digital gold” with long-term investment potential.
Chief Marketing Officer of PT Pintu Kemana Saja (PINTU), Timothius Martin, said Bitcoin remains poised for continued growth and may eventually match gold in value and popularity.
“There’s still enormous potential. Bitcoin has long been called digital gold, and in the future, it might rival or even replace gold as an investment,” said Martin during a Financial Literacy on Crypto seminar hosted by Investortrust at Universitas Bakrie on Monday, June 2, 2025.
According to data from the Financial Services Authority (OJK), the number of registered crypto investors in Indonesia reached 14.16 million by April 2025, marking a 3.28% increase from 13.71 million in March. This figure surpasses the estimated 10 million local gold investors.
“The growth is incredibly rapid. Compared to equities and gold, crypto investor numbers have expanded much faster,” Martin added.
Wider Reach, Younger Users
Globally, an estimated 500–600 million people, or around 6% of the global population, have invested in crypto assets—reportedly more than those who have ever invested in stocks.
Martin attributed this growth to mobile accessibility and digital convenience, making crypto investing particularly attractive to Generation Z, a cohort more inclined to take risks than older investors.
“It’s all at your fingertips now. But I’ve said repeatedly: do your own research (DYOR)—don’t blindly follow influencers,” he cautioned.
Room to Grow Against Gold
Despite the rapid growth in users, Bitcoin’s current market capitalization stands at $2 trillion, just 10% of the gold market’s estimated $20 trillion.
“If we believe Bitcoin is the future of gold, there’s still a lot of headroom left,” said Martin.
He projected that within 5 to 10 years, today's financially literate university students would enter the workforce and begin investing—potentially favoring crypto over traditional assets like gold.
“Will it overtake gold soon? Probably not in the immediate future. But considering the growth rate and user base, crypto is clearly expanding faster than gold.”
Volatility Remains a Key Consideration
Martin acknowledged that Bitcoin and crypto assets remain far more volatile than gold. However, this risk is part of what attracts opportunity-driven investors seeking higher returns, especially from altcoins that he claimed may offer lower risk than Bitcoin itself.
“That’s why Bitcoin is the closest to gold—it’s earned the name digital gold,” Martin concluded.
Photo Captions
Asisten Editor Investortrust.id Lona Olavia, Chief Marketing Officer – Marketing & Community Pintu Timothius Martin, Executive Director of INDEF Esther Sri Astuti, and Dean of Economics and Social Sciences Faculty at Universitas Bakrie Professor Dudi Rudianto participate in a panel discussion during Investortrust Goes to Campus, Jakarta, Monday, June 2, 2025. Photo: Investortrust/Dicki Antariksa
Timothius Martin, CMO of Pintu, speaks at Investortrust Goes to Campus at Universitas Bakrie, Jakarta, Monday, June 2, 2025. Photo: Investortrust/Mohammad Defrizal