Raditya Dika Reveals Gen Z Needs to Be More Aware of Managing Finances in the Digital Era

JAKARTA - Indonesia's Generation Z and millennials now live a daily life that is almost entirely cashless. From buying coffee, ordering transportation, shopping for necessities, to paying bills, everything is done through a mobile phone.

This ease makes transactions feel light, but behind it comes a new challenge in the form of small expenses that keep repeating, balances spread across various applications, and cash flow that is difficult to monitor in its entirety.

According to the OJK National Survey on Financial Literacy and Inclusion 2025, the financial literacy index of Gen Z has reached 73.26 percent, while the national financial inclusion is at 80.51 percent.

This figure indicates that access to and understanding of financial services is increasingly widespread. However, in practice, this literacy is not always reflected in daily habits.

This is also recognized by public figures, Raditya Dika. He said that at present, impulsive spending, self-reward culture, and digital lifestyle make cash flow management a real challenge. That's why, Raditya Dika understands that financial foundations are important for young generations to understand.

"Financial foundations are still important so that we can pursue our dreams without constantly worrying," he said as quoted from the press release of Rek-Wallet OVO Nabung by Superbank.

This view reflects the reality that Gen Z is now facing, namely living in an era of everything digital, fast, but still requires more awareness in managing money.

A similar thing is also reflected in the Populix survey entitled "Navigating Youth Financial Habits in the Digital Age", which shows that the majority of young people want to have healthier financial flows.

The problem is not in the intention, but in the search for a simple, flexible, and relevant way to their fast-paced lives.

This topic was also discussed in the Raditya Dika podcast with Xaviera Putri who reviewed the transition period from campus to the world of work. In the conversation, the "real world" phase is described as a moment when many young people begin to realize that income alone is not enough without proper management.

Raditya sees that many Gen Z have great energy and ideas, but are not used to building financial discipline from the start. According to him, financial management is not aimed at limiting lifestyle or creativity, but rather to support so that passion can be lived longer.

As the digital lifestyle develops, the approach to managing money also changes. Various financial solutions are now trying to integrate with the daily habits of the younger generation, instead of forcing them to adapt to extremes.

The concept of combining daily transactions and saving money habits in one digital ecosystem is beginning to be seen as a more realistic alternative.

For many Gen Z, small steps feel more reasonable than big changes that are difficult to maintain consistency. One of the easiest efforts is to set aside the remaining balance (saving), manage daily expenses, or just be more aware of the flow of money in and out to be the beginning of healthier financial habits.