Bank Negara Indonesia

Early years

Bank Negara Indonesia was established on 5 July 1946 both as a central bank and a commercial bank with Margono Djojohadikusumo appointed as the director and Abdul Karim as secretary. It was prepared to be the Central Bank of Indonesia with the task of issuing and handling Indonesian currency. A few months after its establishment, Bank Negara Indonesia officially distributed the first official currency of Indonesia – ORI or Oeang Republik Indonesia.

Following the appointment of the Bank of Java as the Central Bank of Indonesia, Bank Negara Indonesia had its role shifted to that of a development bank, and was later given the right to serve as a foreign exchange bank. Following increased capitalization in 1955, the legal status of Bank Negara Indonesia was changed into that of a commercial bank through a judicial assignment under Emergency Law number 2 of the year 1955. Also in 1955, Bank Negara Indonesia officially opened its first foreign branch in Singapore.

In 1965, it became a single-tier bank (even Bank Indonesia was absorbed); BNI was the bank that granted the first foreign bank licenses during the transition to the New Order, shortly before the reestablishment of Bank Indonesia that same year.

Bank Negara Indonesia 1946

After a merger period with several other commercial banks, the function and individuality of the Bank were restored in 1968. The status was resumed to that of a state-run commercial bank. The official name was changed to 'Bank Negara Indonesia 1946'.