Indonesia’s economic transformation rarely happens overnight. Instead, it often reveals itself through quiet but structural regulatory changes. One such change arrived in December 2025, when the Central Statistics Agency (Badan Pusat Statistik / BPS) issued Peraturan BPS No. 7 Tahun 2025, formally introducing the new KBLI 2025 framework. While much of the public discussion has focused on compliance and administrative adjustments, the KBLI Update offers something more strategic: a clear signal of where Indonesia believes its future growth sectors lie.
For business leaders, investors, and entrepreneurs planning for 2026 and beyond, the KBLI Update is not just a technical reclassification. It is a roadmap—one that reflects how Indonesia’s government sees the economy evolving, which sectors are becoming more important, and how regulation is adapting to new forms of value creation.
This article explores what the KBLI Update reveals about Indonesia’s future growth sectors, why these changes matter, and how businesses can interpret them when planning expansion, incorporation, or investment.
Understanding the KBLI Update Beyond Compliance
KBLI (Klasifikasi Baku Lapangan Usaha Indonesia) is Indonesia’s official system for categorizing economic activities. Every company operating in Indonesia must select KBLI codes during company registration and licensing. These codes are used not only for statistics, but also for coordination across licensing, taxation, investment oversight, and sectoral supervision.
The KBLI Update in 2025 was introduced to reflect “perkembangan dan pergeseran kegiatan ekonomi di Indonesia” (the development and shifting of economic activities in Indonesia) and to align national classifications with International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC) Revision 5.
In practical terms, this means the government is redefining how it understands economic activity itself. That redefinition offers insight into which sectors are expanding, maturing, or becoming strategically important.
KBLI 2025 as an Economic Signal, Not Just a Registry Tool
One of the most overlooked aspects of the KBLI Update is its role as a policy signal. While KBLI is often perceived as an administrative requirement, it is also a reflection of how the state categorizes and prioritizes economic activity.
Under KBLI 2025, BPS formally reorganized business classifications into 22 categories (A–V), with clearer distinctions for sectors that have grown in complexity over the past decade. These refinements are not accidental. They suggest where Indonesia expects sustained growth, regulatory attention, and economic contribution.
By examining what has been expanded, clarified, or given greater structural prominence, businesses can gain early insight into future growth sectors.
Digital Infrastructure and Information Services as Core Growth Drivers
One of the clearest signals from the KBLI Update is the increased importance of digital and information-based activities. KBLI 2025 provides more explicit classification for:
- Telecommunications and digital connectivity
- Computer programming and software development
- IT consulting and systems integration
- Computing infrastructure and information services
These activities are no longer treated as peripheral or supporting functions. Instead, they are recognized as core economic sectors in their own right.
This reflects Indonesia’s broader economic reality. Digital platforms, cloud services, and data-driven businesses now underpin industries ranging from finance and logistics to healthcare and education. By refining these classifications, the KBLI Update acknowledges that digital infrastructure is not a niche—it is foundational.
For companies operating in or adjacent to the digital economy, this signals long-term regulatory recognition and structural relevance.
Content, Media, and Creative Industries Gaining Structural Clarity
Another notable change in the KBLI Update is the clearer treatment of content-related activities. KBLI 2025 explicitly distinguishes between publishing, broadcasting, content production, and distribution activities.
This matters because content businesses often operate across multiple formats and platforms. Under older classifications, these activities were sometimes grouped too broadly, creating ambiguity during licensing and regulation.
By refining these categories, the KBLI Update suggests that Indonesia views the creative and content economy as a distinct growth sector—one that requires more precise regulation as it scales.
This aligns with broader trends in Indonesia, where digital media, streaming, online publishing, and creator-driven platforms are becoming economically significant.
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Moving Up the Value Chain
KBLI 2025 places renewed emphasis on professional, scientific, and technical activities, grouping them more clearly under dedicated classifications. This includes consulting, research, advisory services, and technical expertise that support higher-value economic functions.
The KBLI Update reflects a shift away from viewing growth solely in terms of manufacturing or extraction, and toward services that enable productivity, innovation, and knowledge transfer.
For investors and entrepreneurs, this signals opportunities in:
- Business and management consulting
- Engineering and technical services
- Research and development support
- Specialized advisory services
These sectors often grow alongside foreign investment and multinational operations, making them especially relevant for cross-border businesses.
Healthcare and Social Services as Long-Term Structural Sectors
KBLI 2025 continues to give clear recognition to human health and social activities, reinforcing healthcare as a long-term growth sector rather than a temporary policy focus.
Indonesia’s demographic trends—urbanization, an aging population, and rising middle-class expectations—support sustained demand for healthcare services. The KBLI Update’s structured treatment of these activities indicates ongoing regulatory attention and institutional support.
For businesses operating in healthcare-related fields, this suggests stability and continued relevance within Indonesia’s economic planning framework.
Why the KBLI Update Matters for Investors and Entrepreneurs
The KBLI Update does more than describe the economy; it shapes how businesses interact with regulation. KBLI codes are used in licensing systems, risk-based regulation, and investment oversight. As a result, sectors that receive clearer and more detailed classifications tend to be better integrated into regulatory processes.
For entrepreneurs, this reduces uncertainty. For investors, it improves visibility and comparability. And for regulators, it enables more targeted oversight.
Understanding the KBLI Update as a forward-looking signal allows businesses to align themselves with sectors that are structurally recognized, rather than operating at the margins of outdated classifications.
Strategic Implications for Business Planning in 2026 and Beyond
For companies planning incorporation or expansion in 2026, the KBLI Update should be treated as an input into strategic planning.
Businesses that align their activities with clearly defined and growing KBLI sectors are likely to experience smoother licensing, clearer regulatory expectations, and greater long-term predictability.
Conversely, companies that rely on vague or legacy classifications may face friction as regulatory systems increasingly adopt the KBLI 2025 framework.
This makes early interpretation of the KBLI Update especially valuable for founders and corporate planners.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Does the KBLI Update indicate government investment priorities?
While KBLI itself is a classification tool, it often informs how sectors are regulated and understood. Expanded or clarified sectors typically reflect areas of economic importance.
Is KBLI 2025 only relevant for statistics?
No. The regulation explicitly states that KBLI is used as a reference across government activities beyond statistics.
Can businesses use the KBLI Update to identify emerging sectors?
Yes. Examining which activities receive greater clarity or structural separation can provide insight into emerging and maturing sectors.
Does KBLI 2025 apply immediately?
Yes. KBLI 2025 is in force, and KBLI 2020 has been revoked, with a six-month adjustment period for existing users.
How CPT Corporate Helps Businesses Interpret the KBLI Update
Understanding the KBLI Update requires more than reading classifications. It requires interpreting how regulatory structure intersects with business strategy.
CPT Corporate supports businesses by:
- Interpreting KBLI 2025 classifications in commercial context
- Advising on sector positioning and regulatory alignment
- Supporting company incorporation and restructuring
- Assisting investors and foreign companies in navigating Indonesia’s regulatory landscape
By translating regulatory change into strategic insight, CPT Corporate helps clients move beyond compliance toward informed growth decisions.
Conclusion
The KBLI Update is more than a regulatory adjustment—it is an early indicator of how Indonesia’s economy is being reshaped. For founders, investors, and business leaders, the real opportunity lies in understanding what these classifications signal and how to align business plans accordingly.
If you are planning company incorporation, market entry, expansion, or restructuring in Indonesia, CPT Corporate can help you interpret the KBLI Update beyond surface compliance. Our team works with local and foreign businesses to translate regulatory changes into practical strategies—whether that means selecting the right business classification, positioning your company within future growth sectors, or navigating Indonesia’s evolving licensing landscape.
Rather than reacting to regulatory changes after they affect your operations, now is the time to plan proactively. With the KBLI Update already in force, businesses that understand its direction early will be better positioned to grow with confidence in 2026 and beyond.
Contact CPT Corporate to discuss how your business can align with Indonesia’s future growth sectors under KBLI 2025.
