Indonesia's financial services sector is considered to have not yet fully maximized the market potential of the persons with disabilities segment. CEO and Founder of Konekin, Marthella Rivera Roidatua Sirait, emphasized that this group should no longer be viewed merely as objects of social service, but rather as a significant potential market share for the banking industry.
At the MRinsights 2026 seminar held in Jakarta, Marthella stressed the importance of a corporate strategy shift. Inclusion for people with disabilities must now be positioned as a tangible business growth strategy, not just compliance with regulatory burdens or corporate charity programs.
Global data shows that the annual purchasing power of people with disabilities reaches USD 1.9 trillion. In Indonesia, 8.5 percent of the total population—equivalent to around 22 million people—represents a huge market potential, especially when combined with their families and caregivers who collectively expand the segment's economic reach.
However, accessibility barriers remain the main obstacle, ranging from branch office infrastructure that is not yet wheelchair-friendly to digital banking applications that do not support screen reader technology. Marthella suggested that the transformation of financial services should rest on accessible physical and digital pillars, as well as improving human resource quality.
The most crucial step is training service personnel to have high sensitivity toward customer diversity. In addition, recruiting persons with disabilities into the organization is considered the most effective way to trigger service innovations that are truly inclusive and offer solutions for diverse market needs.
