Wise's help pages describe paying rupiah into Indonesian bank accounts and wallets such as GoPay, OVO, DANA and ShopeePay, so a client abroad can pay you through Wise. The page I read for opening a Wise balance doesn't list Indonesia, and sending from rupiah is bank transfer only. Check live availability first.
If you're in Indonesia and a client says they'll pay you with Wise, the first thing to settle is which direction you mean. Wise's pages treat paying rupiah to Indonesia and sending from rupiah as two different things, with different rules. I've read the relevant help article and the list of places where Wise lets you hold a balance, and I'll tell you what each says.
Paying rupiah into an Indonesian account
According to Wise's IDR guide, you can send rupiah to individual and business bank accounts in Indonesia. The recipient needs a full name, bank name and an account number, which should be 7-18 digits long. Wise says money arrives up to 1 working day after Wise receives and converts it, and conversion can take up to 2 working days.
This is the route most clients will use. They pay in their own currency, Wise converts it, and you get rupiah in your normal bank account. Wise's Indonesia send-money pages also say you don't need a Wise account to receive this way.
GoPay, OVO, DANA and ShopeePay
Wise says the same guide covers mobile wallets: DANA, GoPay, OVO and ShopeePay. For a wallet, the sender needs your phone number, starting with the country code +62. Wise says LinkAja payouts are temporarily unsupported due to technical issues, so if LinkAja is your wallet, ask your client to use a bank account for now.
| What I checked | What Wise says for Indonesia |
|---|---|
| Bank transfer limit | 10,000,000,000 IDR per transfer |
| Wallet limit | 20M IDR per transfer for GoPay, ShopeePay, DANA and OVO |
| Bank account number | 7-18 digits |
| Speed | Up to 1 working day after conversion, which can take up to 2 working days |
| Wallet monthly limits | May apply, based on your verification status |
| LinkAja | Temporarily unsupported |
Why I can't promise you an Indonesian Wise balance
The Wise page I read about where you can open a balance names a long list of countries and territories. Indonesia isn't on it. That doesn't prove Wise is blocked for you, because Wise says elsewhere that you can register and send from most countries, and it lists the places it doesn't operate. Indonesia isn't among those either. It means you shouldn't build your income plan around holding foreign currency in Wise until you've checked the current options in the app.
Wise's own page warns that older accounts may have different features than newer ones, so what a friend sees on their login might not match yours.
Sending from rupiah: the Indonesian bank rules
If you do have a Wise account, Wise says sending from IDR is by bank transfer only. It's available only from Indonesia, and the bank account name must match the Wise account name. You can pay from any Indonesian bank, and e-wallet payments are available from OVO and DANA. Wise says you can send up to 15,000,000,000 IDR per month, that card payments aren't accepted and that IDR can't be sent via Swift.
Wise also says there's no sending from IDR for businesses, except freelancers with Wise Business accounts. That sentence matters if you invoice clients as a sole trader.
In practice, that means two sensible plans. If you only want to get paid, ask the client to send through Wise to your bank account or wallet and ignore the balance question entirely. If you want to hold or send currency yourself, open the Wise app, look at what it offers for your country and verification status, and only then tell clients which details to use. Don't copy someone else's details from a screenshot, because the currencies on offer depend on location.
What happens if a payment bounces
Wise says it asks for refund account details by email, since it can't see the sending bank account. If the money is unclaimed, Wise says it goes to Balai Harta Peninggalan (BHP) 30 days after the third notification, and the owner can still claim it directly from BHP. So don't ignore Wise emails. Reply the same day.
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Choosing between Wise and other routes
Freelancers in Indonesia often keep two or three options open. I've covered how Payoneer works in Indonesia and what PayPal offers Indonesian users, and it's worth reading both before you give a client your details. If you want to see how Wise compares with another provider, this Wise and Revolut comparison is a good start.
Ask a local accountant about tax on foreign income, and check with your bank about what it needs to see for incoming transfers. I'm not able to advise on either.
Before you tell a client to use Wise
- Ask whether they'll pay to your bank account or a wallet.
- Give the full name exactly as it appears on the account, plus the account number.
- For a wallet, give the phone number starting with +62.
- Allow two working days for conversion and one more for arrival.
- Keep an eye out for an email from Wise, because they may need to ask about the payment.
Wise says to check with the recipient if you aren't sure a transfer will be received. That's sensible advice for any first payment.
Frequently asked questions
Can I receive money from Wise in Indonesia?
According to Wise's IDR guide, a sender can pay rupiah into Indonesian bank accounts and into DANA, GoPay, OVO and ShopeePay wallets. Wise says you don't need a Wise account to receive this way.
Can I open a Wise balance in Indonesia?
The page I read about where you can open a Wise balance doesn't list Indonesia. Check the current options in the Wise app, because availability can change.
What are the limits on paying rupiah to Indonesia?
Wise says bank transfers are limited to 10,000,000,000 IDR per transfer and the four wallets to 20M IDR per transfer. Wallets may have monthly limits based on verification status.
How long does a Wise payment to Indonesia take?
Wise says money arrives up to 1 working day after Wise receives and converts it. Conversion can take up to 2 working days.
Can I send rupiah out of Indonesia with Wise?
Wise says sending from IDR is by bank transfer only, from Indonesia only, with no card payments and no Swift. Businesses aren't supported, except freelancers with Wise Business accounts.
