Why Indonesia Became A Social Commerce Giant

Why Indonesia became one of Asia’s most important digital economies

Indonesia quietly became one of the world’s largest mobile-first commerce markets.

Over the last decade, smartphones transformed how millions of Indonesians participate economically.

Online sellers increasingly operate through TikTok and Instagram.

Small businesses participate through social commerce.

Creators monetize audiences through mobile-first participation.

Digital entrepreneurship increasingly happens through:

• social commerce

• mobile marketplaces

• creator-led businesses

• live selling

• digital communities

• smartphone-first participation

What makes Indonesia particularly important is not only the scale of participation.

It is the fact that Indonesia demonstrated how rapidly commerce evolves when smartphones become the center of economic activity.

Indonesia did not simply adopt ecommerce. It helped normalize mobile-first social commerce at enormous scale.

Why smartphones changed commerce across Indonesia

Indonesia increasingly operates through mobile-first participation.

Digital commerce increasingly became:

• smartphone-native

• creator-led

• community-driven

• social-first

• mobile-centric

Platforms including:

• TikTok Shop

• Tokopedia

• Shopee

• GoPay

• DANA

helped accelerate mobile-first digital participation across everyday life.

People increasingly became accustomed to:

• mobile payments

• social commerce

• live selling

• digital storefronts

• smartphone-first interaction

Indonesia became one of the clearest examples globally of how quickly commerce changes when smartphones become central to participation.

Why international payments still create friction

Indonesia’s domestic digital participation evolved rapidly.

But international participation still often introduces friction.

This becomes particularly visible for:

• creators

• online sellers

• freelancers

• digital entrepreneurs

• cross-border ecommerce businesses

A creator in Jakarta can build international audiences through TikTok and YouTube.

An online seller in Bandung can operate through social commerce globally.

A freelancer in Surabaya can work with international clients from a smartphone.

But international payments still often rely heavily on:

• bank account coordination

• manual transfer infrastructure

• regional payout systems

• fragmented international rails

• processor-specific infrastructure

That creates a disconnect between:

• how modern digital participation works

• how international payments still often operate

“Indonesia normalized mobile-first commerce remarkably quickly. International payment participation still often feels significantly more fragmented.”

Why Indonesia became a creator and social commerce economy

Indonesia increasingly operates as one of the world’s most active social commerce markets.

Modern participation increasingly happens through:

• live selling

• creator-led businesses

• social storefronts

• mobile marketplaces

• digital communities

• online entrepreneurship