Sending money to buy property
Large payments for property usually go by bank transfer and are paid in rupiah inside Indonesia. Banks report cross-border transfers, and cash over IDR 100 million must be declared at the border.
- Transactions inside Indonesia must be paid in rupiah, cash or not, under Bank Indonesia Regulation 17/3/PBI/2015 of 31 March 2015. The listed exceptions, such as international trade and foreign-currency bank deposits, do not cover buying a home (BCA notice, 2026).
- Banks and other payment providers must report transfers to and from abroad to PPATK, Indonesia's financial intelligence unit (PPATK Regulation 1/2021, as summarised by Hukumonline, 2023).
- A bank can refuse a transfer or close the relationship if it looks unusual or does not fit your customer profile (OJK Regulation 8/2023). Keep the purchase agreement and proof of where the money comes from ready.
- Carrying cash or payment instruments worth IDR 100 million or more into or out of Indonesia must be declared to Customs. The penalty for not declaring is 10% of the amount, capped at IDR 300 million (Setkab, 2016).
- Taking rupiah worth IDR 100 million or more out of Indonesia also needs a Bank Indonesia permit (Setkab, 2016).
- Typical channels are a bank SWIFT transfer or a specialist provider. Compare the total rupiah received, not only the fee shown (Expatica, 2026). Wise lists a limit of IDR 10 billion per transfer to an Indonesian bank account.
- Confirm the beneficiary account with the PPAT or your lawyer, not only with an agent or an invoice. Treat any last-minute change of bank details as a reason to check again (Expatica, 2026).
- If you later need to buy dollars in Indonesia, Bank Indonesia cut the limit without supporting documents from USD 100,000 to USD 50,000 per person per month in 2026, with a further cut to USD 25,000 announced (Tempo, March 2026; RRI, May 2026).
Sources: bca.co.id, hukumonline.com, setkab.go.id, expatica.com, wise.com, en.tempo.co, rri.co.id
Checked 2026-11-08. Not legal or financial advice.
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