Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, or Komdigi, says biometric SIM card registration has now been used by 6.8 million people. The figure covers the period from the January trial phase through the policy’s official rollout on 1 July.
The move is designed to tighten the link between a mobile number and its rightful owner. Komdigi also sees biometric registration as a way to reduce identity misuse, cybercrime, and online gambling abuse.
Why the government is expanding face verification
Minister Meutya Hafid presented the latest figure during the OJK Banking Forum 2026 in Jakarta on Tuesday, 14 July, according to a report cited by CNN Indonesia from Detik. She said the system is meant to help authorities identify who owns the numbers circulating in the market in a more responsible way.
At the center of the policy is a face-matching process linked to the Directorate General of Population and Civil Registration, known as Dukcapil. Unlike banks, mobile operators are not allowed to store customer biometric data.
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Biometric registrations | 6.8 million people |
| Counting period | January to 1 July |
| Verification method | Face matching |
| Reference database | Directorate General of Population and Civil Registration (Dukcapil) |
Meutya said the policy also reflects concerns about data leaks over the past five to 10 years, with some of those leaked identities still being used by digital criminals today. She warned that citizens’ National Identity Numbers could be used by others without the owner’s knowledge.
Komdigi is now urging the public to complete biometric registration with their respective mobile operators. The goal is to cut the chance of identity abuse when a new phone number is activated.
The face-verification rule builds on the earlier registration scheme that relied only on a National Identity Number and family card data. With the biometric layer added, the government wants to strengthen customer identity checks without letting operators keep facial data on their systems.
