JAKARTA, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian government has blocked 225 illegal commodity futures trading (PBK) websites between January and May 2025, according to the Commodity Futures Trading Supervisory Agency (Bappebti) on Friday.
"This step aims to protect the public from potential losses caused by illegal activities in the commodity futures trading sector," said the head of Bappebti, Tirta Karma Senjaya, in a statement.
He explained that these illegal entities use online platforms to promote their services, create trading-related content, and recruit investors by introducing foreign futures brokerage firms.
Tirta noted that all businesses operating in Indonesia must obtain a license from Bappebti and comply with regulations. "These illegal entities must register with Bappebti and operate in accordance with the law," he added.
Meanwhile, Bappebti's head of the bureau of supervision and enforcement, Matheus Hendro Purnomo, warned that many fraudulent investment schemes are disguised as PBK, promising high returns and fixed income.
"Futures trading is high-risk and high-reward. Investors could gain significant profits but also face substantial losses," he said. ■
