Astra Financial And WeLab Sky Launches Saqu Bank Target Solopreneur

Inauguration of Bank Saqu (Photo: Aris Nurjani/VOI)

JAKARTA - PT Astra International Tbk (ASII) through Astra Financial and WeLab Sky officially launched a digital bank, namely Bank Saqu, which was previously known as PT Bank Jasa Jakarta (BJJ) on Monday, November 20.

Bank Saqu is a digital banking service for a productive generation and has a solo preneur spirit which is a new potential strength for the Indonesian economy by presenting adjustable products up to 20 bags (saku), so that it can help customers manage income and various needs.

President Director of Bank Jasa Jakarta Leo Koesmanto said that this service was created to redefine how solopreneurs must manage their money, both personally and in business.

"With several different pockets (Saku) in one banking application, solopreneurs can manage their finances strategically, allocate resources, and share the feeling that their business is developing", he said at a press conference at Astra Tower, Jakarta, Monday, November 20.

Leo said that with local market insights and the wide coverage of the Astra ecosystem, both offline and online, as well as the technological skills brought by WeLab, we believe Bank Saqu is able to put itself in this promising market.

Leo added that one study estimates that there will be around 117 million solopreneurs in Indonesia by 2030, of which 1 in 3 Indonesians will become solopreneurs.

In addition, it is estimated that the solopreneur contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) is 36 percent by 2030. However, the study revealed that they often face challenges such as inconsistent income and difficulty managing finances.

Bank Saqu targets the solopreneur segment by launching Bank Saqu in line with Bank Jasa Jakarta's vision to become a selected Retail Bank and MSMEs, with the foundation of the ecosystem and a strong integration function for the advancement of Indonesia's digital economy.

Bank Saqu targets the younger generation, especially solopreneurs in Indonesia, including small business owners, freelancers, and permanent employees with additional jobs. This segment proactively seeks ways to grow, save more, invest more, or even take loans for productive efforts.