BSI Prepares Super App, Will Be Launched This Year

SEVP Digital Banking BSI Saut Parulian Saragih. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

PT Bank Syariah Indonesia Tbk (BSI) is preparing a super app to replace BSI Mobile, which is planned to be launched in 2024 if it has obtained permission or approval from the regulator.

"Alhamdulillah, until now the permit has been submitted to Bank Indonesia (BI). So, we are in preparation. God willing (super app was launched) this year," said SEVP Digital Banking BSI Saut Parulian Saragih when met by the media after the launch of the Digital Resilience Guide in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Tuesday, August 20.

In addition to the super app, BSI is also preparing a paylater product. On the same occasion, Saut said that super apps and paylaters are likely to be launched separately.

Currently, he added, BSI is more focused on completing super app projects than paylaters.

"Possibly so (next year after the super app was launched). But we are still chasing it, how come (for the development of the paylater) because there are still a lot of things to do. This super app is a big job, so we focus on it first. That (super app) just for us maybe we've been working on it for two years. So we want to make sure (super app) slides well first," said Saut.

He added that BSI was also careful before actually launching paylater products. Saut said that his party is trying not to have a negative influence on business continuity, especially with regard to the potential increase in the risk of non-performing loans (NPL) in the future.

"Maybe this (paylater) will be one of the things to attract new customers. But back again, we are really in the process first carefully, don't let this hurt to business later. Because even with the current conditions, with the current proposition, Alhamdulillah, our customers will continue to grow up," said Saut.

Previously, the development of the BSI super app project had been conveyed by the President Director of BSI Hery Gunardi in 2023. According to Hery, the super app will offer quite interesting features that not only include transaction features, but also lifestyle features that will make it easier for customers to make transactions such as buying tickets, top ups, and so on.

Hery said the super app will provide space for BSI to reach customers who do not come to branch offices with more modern and better features.

He is also optimistic that the development of digital technology will improve BSI's performance and expand the share of the Islamic banking market in Indonesia.

For information, until June 2024, BSI recorded that 97.9 percent of its total customers had used BSI's digital services to carry out financial transactions.

While the remaining 2.1 percent of customers still choose to transact directly at the branch office. Likewise, in terms of account opening, as many as 94.4 percent of prospective customers open online accounts through BSI Mobile.

The number of BSI Mobile users as of June 2024 was recorded at 7.12 million customers. This number grew 33.9 percent year on year (YoY) compared to the same period last year.