Bitcoin Forum

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I don't know whether you have been to Bali or not but Bali is one of the world's tourist destinations, unfortunately Bali still has a governor who is not friendly to bitcoins and cryptocurrencies so he informs every tourist not to use bitcoins as payment. Previously, the governor of Bali (his name is Wayan Koster) had gone viral because he refused to allow the Israeli national team to play in the U20 World Cup, previously Indonesia was chosen as the host.

with rules like this, do you still want to go to bali?


Read more https://dailyhodl.com/2023/05/29/tourists-in-bali-warned-against-using-crypto-for-payments-governor-says-theyll-be-dealt-with-firmly-report/

Quoting for image visibility...


Yes, with rules like that, it does not stop me from going there for exploration; it's just fun traveling and not for business of any kind. If I already planned to travel to any part of the world to go and spend time and have some fun, then it will be very smart of me to gather funds that will be enough for me based on their accepted payment method. Every government is just looking and acting in line with what they think is best for their citizens and their economy at large. If they say no Bitcoin payment, then tourists should respect their decisions because, in a country like that with strict rules, if you are found breaking any of them, I think the punishment might not be nice at all. Although the Bitcoin payment method is not acceptable, opportunities for breaking those rules will barely present themselves.

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency was never legal payment option on Bali. So what government did is only reminding people who violate the law. After using advance search, i managed to find these old news.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1398718/bitcoin-use-on-bali-probed (https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1398718/bitcoin-use-on-bali-probed)
https://bitcoinist.com/indonesian-government-cracking-bitcoin-use-bali/ (https://bitcoinist.com/indonesian-government-cracking-bitcoin-use-bali/)


Yes. Spending or using Bitcoin isn't my primary goal to visit tourism destination.

Yes. I'll still go there if I have to since I wouldn't even mention that I am into Bitcoin. There's nothing wrong with these policies if that's what they think is best for their locality. It's a different matter to discuss about their relationships with other countries and their stance against Bitcoin. So, if I'll be going there for some certain purpose like tourism then those factors will be out and I'm there for that very reason. You don't ask that there are likely citizens on that area that are into Bitcoin, you'll never know.

In my opinion, we must obey the regional regulations, if in that area it is prohibited to make payments using bitcoin or crypto.

and indeed in Indonesia the government still prohibits its people from using btc as a means of payment, but what I know in Indonesia the government allows its people to invest in btc and btc is only used as an asset.

and of course I will go to Bali for vacation and I will obey the government regulations there.

If you don't use Bitcoin as a payment method, you don't have issue with local laws. Many countries don't accept Bitcoin as a payment method but you can use it as an asset storage, as one asset in your portfolio, governments won't knock your doors and put you into jail.

If you are worrying about potential problems when you are buying and selling Bitcoin through fiat currencies, you can use non KYC exchanges.

https://kycnot.me/?cash=on

Prohibited as a payment method does not mean you are not able to buy or sell Bitcoin through your national fiat currency.

There's no actually issue if the country you will visit doesn't accept crypto or blockchain payment since that's their rules. As a tourist or visitor of another country you must follow and obey the law so your visit would be enjoyable. If your funds is at Bitcoin then just simply use fiat money so there won't be a problem easy. Don't complicate your life there will be a solution to everything.

Things like this have been happening and we've seen some countries whereby they made the law against bitcoin and later changes it again in favour of it acceptance, it's either it's in the law that bitcoin acceptability is legal in the country for making payments or not, yet on either of this outcome, the people will still invest and trade bitcoin because it's a p2p digital currency as long as they are not using the banks to perform such transactions.

I don't think they can still be as worst as China in this sanction against bitcoin with the law they established and moreover Bali is not a popular and well recognized country that have the best of economy and financial technology advancement not to talk of their participation in cryptocurrency, tourism could have been a boost on their end but yet they are still making laws to restrict intending tourist.

Bali, as a popular tourist destination, may still face limitations in accommodating the preferences of crypto-savvy tourists. It was stated that Bali Governor Wayan Koster's attitude towards Bitcoin was influenced by Indonesian Government Regulations and followed by regional regulations. It's wise to just follow the rules there because it's just a matter of following the rules and not a big obstacle I think.

It depends on the currency I want to use to pay for my holiday or tourist trip. If I intend to use Bitcoin, then I will never visit Bali because the consequences will be harsh. Every tourist should abide by the laws of the land of the country, so if the government prohibits the use of Bitcoin and other coins as a means of payment, there is no need to violate the law. After all, many tourist destinations are crypto-friendly. Instead of facing deportation, arrest, or even imprisonment, it will be better to avoid such a country. But the government of Indonesia will regret its actions because it will not attract crypto-friendly tourists. At a time when nations are opening up their territories to crypto, the Island of Bali is shutting an opportunity for more revenue.

Why is it that you sound furious about it when after all its their rules. No need to campaign to remove the destination from the tourist destination list.

You can spend their local currency when you visit the island. There is no need to get fuzzy about the local government there. You'd be glad to send their own currency to pay than BTC since you can save the coins for yourself.

Generally Indonesia has been suffering from a very strict and repressive government recently. So their aim to control financial flows and outlawing Bitcoin shouldn't be too suprising.
These instituations of power usually don't realize they are missing out on a great opportunity to improve their attractiveness both for tourists and new businesses. Oh well, nothing new to see here.

And a tiny sidenote about Bali: Yes it's nice, but there are so many beautiful places in Indonesia that are not saturated by tourists (yet). It's funny to see all the attention is always going towards Bali.

As a BTC investor, I don't mind the existence of Indonesian government regulations that make it illegal to use bitcoin or crypto for buying and selling transactions.

I think in this case we have to be wise and have to obey the rules that apply in that area.

In my opinion, if we want to take a vacation to Bali, we should only use fiat money (rupiah) for buying and selling transactions because the purpose of our vacation is to seek pleasure, so enjoy your holiday with a happy heart.

If I have chosen to relax myself in Bali I will despite the restriction of not using bitcoin there  Traveling is for experience and to add to your knowledge and now if you happen to visit the place you can tell the story of the place and give confirmative narrative that they don't allow the use of bitcoin as a first hand witness or observer and not hearsay. So I will visit, I will exchange my fiat to their local currency and go on the trip for my pleasure after all I'm not part of the country but just a visitor that will leave.

You can’t allow rules like this to stop you from going to a tourist center attraction for a visit or vacation. Bitcoin is just a means of payment and its use not being disabled their for payment because it has a negative impact there. The only reason I won’t go to a place like that is when it poses risk to security of lives while on vacation there. Bali is just a province in Indonesia, and their lack of acceptance to bitcoin will have no effect on bitcoin adoption globally.

i respect local rules, i'm not a problem person, i like to have a peaceful vacation.... Bali is an extraordinary place, i still remember when i was 12 years old and my parents took me on vacation there, my favorite place is Pandawa Beach, if there is one more chance then i will not hesitate to take a vacation there again with my little family, even though the government there prohibits from making transactions with bitcoin.  anyway, a friend of mine told me that P2P is not banned there, he did that there and i will do the same as him.

A precedent was set (when tourists pay at btc), so the Bali government had to somehow respond to what was happening. This is a common occurrence in all countries and in all countries, the only legal means of payment is the local currency (with some exceptions, like El Salvador, where bitcoin is legal). I think that around the world it will gradually happen in much the same way: as soon as the payment in BTC in the country increases, the authorities will react to it. Some countries will prohibit, others will allow to pay using btc. The status of neutral will be kept until a certain point, and then governments will have to choose.

It seems to me that this event is not a reason not to travel to Bali. As I understand it, owning bitcoin is not yet prohibited there, which means that you can exchange it for the Indonesian rupiah and pay with it.

In this news, I see a positive moment, and it is this: the amount of btc payment has reached such proportions that the authorities were forced to do something about it. This is a good indication that bitcoin is still being used as a means of payment in some places. Until a certain point.

If I were to travel and enjoy the vacation, I would still go since that's the purpose of going to Bali. Like, you can still enjoy and spend there using fiat. However, it would be a good way to promote Bitcoin if tourist spots like Bali are crypto-friendly because it can help attracting other people and get to know Bitcoin. Though regardless of the government prohibiting Bitcoin, if the establishments around Bali are not really into Bitcoin or doesn't know Bitcoin, it won't still affect Bitcoin adoption. What's the point of accepting or prohibiting it if the stores/shops doesn't even offer Bitcoin or crypto payment?

If you're on a vacation, why are you interested in promoting Bitcoin to people? It is not a full-time job. You should be relaxing and enjoying your vacation instead of doing something like that, especially in a country that has made it clear that Bitcoin and crypto are not welcome there.


It's probably a deterrent to prevent any of those shops from accepting cryptocurrency or bitcoins.

Yes, I would. Bali is a beautiful place to be.
Although I wouldn't blame his decision on crypto currencies as he's trying to defend the local fiat(the rupiah) against the widespread use of the dollar.
 But if I were him, I'd not just accept it as an asset, but also for it to be used in transactions since  it would make transfer of funds easier as they will not be restricted by borders and the fees are minimal. And since Bali is a place heavily dependent on tourism, it would go a long way to help because more tourists would want to not just visit, some would think to start business there.

I've never been to Bali and I wouldn't go even if I could because of how strict that place is. Some time ago, they criminalized extramarital sex (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-63948740), which honestly sounds crazy in contemporary world. They also have a death penalty for drug trafficking, you can be jailed for ADHD pills, and other stuff. So the crypto ban is just another one to add to the list of unnecessarily strict laws, and yet another reason to simply avoid this tourist destination. I mean, even for the crypto thing, they could just make it an outlawed activity but without an actual penalty, but in reality the penalty can be a hefty fine or even prison time.

Well! this is just one of those governments who are hostile against Bitcoin and we can't do anything about it because if we are in their shoes, we know that they are just protecting their citizens from any kind of tools for scams. As we talk a lot about this stuff, we know if people are not knowledgeable about bitcoins, they are easily fooled and might gonna lose all their money when they get scammed. Contrary to us because our government knows that we are aware of anything to happen and they just need to warn us about scammers and the rest is up to us. People are lucky that they experience transacts freely with bitcoins as we see right here not all have that kind of privilege in other parts of the world.

Why not - Bali is a wonderful place for tourists, and I thought I had to abide by the country's rules when I was a tourist.

It seems that Indonesia is a country that is quite friendly with cryptocurrencies as reported, it's just that you are not legal to use bitcoin as a legal tender there, so you must convert your bitcoin to fiat before paying for something. Simply put, don't break someone else's country rules just because you own bitcoin. If you want to spend bitcoin as legal tender then try El Salvador - you are free to spend it legally in that country.

Well, it's their system. They are free to choose what to or what not to allow. We hardly encourage people to rely on the system they control for long-term Bitcoin/crypto usage as it's not sustainable.

Better to do decentralized p2p Bitcoin transactions with people who are completely independent of the system and do not engage in immoral/illegal businesses

This is nothing new, any country that ban Bitcoin as means of payment know too less about the innovation, even US that was categorised as one of the most smartest countries alive know too less about crypto and Bitcoin, they shamed themselves using someone like Gensler to go after crypto and he knows nothing about security, and call Ethereum a security.

This might also be a game for the country too ( Indonesia ) , if the government of that country believe that they can benefit from crypto and Bitcoin, they can introduce a ban in the first place and later lift the ban when they have their games set up and running.

It's a matter of time, and mass adoption is not something we can rush up, before many countries start seeing nothing bad with crypto and Bitcoin, they must see the few countries that accept crypto progressing fast.

Is it just Bali or entire Indonesia? I believe the Indonesian government has allowed crypto currency trading while banning  it from being used as a payment method. Also the religious council of Indonesia termed cryptocurrencies as Haram. So what Bali governor is doing, is not much different than the mindset of the current government.

I think this is being enforced tightly because many tourists are probably trying to use bitcoin as a payment method while visiting there.

I don't think banning Bitcoin as a payment method in Bali will make that destination becomes less interesting for tourists. It must be a beautiful, peaceful and friendly location to attract tourists and if you plan to visit that place, you don't have to restrict yourself to pay all expenses in Bitcoin.

Many ways to pay and if Bitcoin is prohibited, you will easily pick other available methods to enjoy your tour.

When you are traveling, for safety, only brings your hot wallets as many accidents can happen during your tour and you don't know what will come at your tour beginning.  That prohibition is not a big matter with me as I can use fiat currency, e-wallets to make payments. I also don't want to bring my bitcoin around as I don't want to lose my coins by pickpocket (lose my phone). Bitcoin is my fortune for my family future and I want to keep it as safest as possible.

In Indonesia, bitcoin is a commodity asset, nothing more than that if someone uses bitcoin, it is clear that this has violated existing regulations because Indonesia only authorizes payments in its local currency, not bitcoin or other crypto.

So don't be misunderstood because indeed Indonesia has never adopted payment with any bitcoins except with its own fiat currency, then why is OP a problem?

I think other countries also apply the same thing.

Bali is the most visited place by tourists and even artists often vacation there.
The atmosphere in Bali is amazing.

People go to exotic destinations to enjoy and relax, not necessarily to use Bitcoin, even when it is completely legal and possible. Therefore, I think that such decisions do not affect tourism too much, because Thailand also banned payments with Bitcoin before, as did Turkey.

For those who go on vacation to pay with Bitcoin, there is always El Salvador or Boracay, and probably some other places where Bitcoin is not prohibited. However, if I were to choose my tourist destination, I would also take into account how each government treats its citizens, and whether there are any crazy laws that could land you in jail. Bali with its attitudes and strict laws is definitely not on my list of priorities.

That is clear enough and not enough reason not to go to Bali, it's simple since the government doesn't recognize Bitcoin for payments in that country just like other countries that do accept Bitcoin either, you need to hold your Bitcoin as an asset then and exchange it to the local currency through p2p and use it whenever you want to make payment in that country.


The most important thing is that Bitcoin is an unstoppable asset and anyone can own it without restrictions its public usage may be limited but not unavailable to use, so the Bali governor may have a wrong stand with Bitcoin but that will not stop the citizens from owning Bitcoin since bitcoin is a decentralized asset.

If people are unable to buy stuff with their preferred currency including bitcoin, they just use other methods of indirect payment with cryptocurrencies. For example, direct exchange of money with local residents even if it is illegal or another tourist. There is also many services that exchange bitcoin for FIAT and people can pay throughout credit card. The latter is more practical with less hassle since you are dealing with legit FIAT card without breaking any rule.

Worst for whom exactly? There has already been a law against crypto in Bali years ago; it's nothing new; it's not as if the country was crypto friendly earlier before and then they decided to make a law out of nothing. Everyone living there is aware of this, and travelers are just being reminded of what's going on in case they forget about it.

They are still smart even now, the only reason these countries are restricting bitcoin is not because they don’t know it’s value but because they are can’t find a way to regulate or control it like other currencies. Some countries restrict or ban it for just religious purposes. But they do know the advantages it offers.

that's true, many countries still reject bitcoin because they can't control it, but if big countries like USA and China accept bitcoin as payment then I'm sure other countries will also accept it.

Read more (use google translate) (https://caritau.com/post/idbc-2023-konferensi-bitcoin-terbesar-di-indonesia-digelar-di-bali-oktober-mendatang)
it seems that the event that will occur above, will experience a little problem.

If I intend to take a vacation to Bali, even though bitcoin is prohibited in that place, I will definitely still go on vacation there, because the main goal is to have a vacation. But if only the use of bitcoin/crypto is given permission in Bali, I think it might be an additional attraction for Bali. Because the places in Bali are already very beautiful and enchanting with charming natural scenery, it will definitely make Bali a tourist spot that will be more famous and will be visited by many tourists from various countries.

And as for the matter of the u20 world cup which failed to be held in Indonesia, because it was caused by an incident of rejection of the Israeli national team, in my opinion this case should not be related to tourist spots, because that is something different. Because when visiting Bali, it is certain that most people go on vacation, not to debate other things, such as religion or one country.

So in essence I will continue to vacation in Bali, even though bitcoin is banned there and even though the governor of Bali does not agree with the Israeli national team.

Why not, because Bali is a tourist destination that must be visited. Bali in other words can be called the island of the gods because the place is very beautiful like in heaven where the gods are. This is in my opinion.

Regarding the prohibition of crypto transactions, as a tourist, you should comply with the regulations in that country, there is a saying that says "Where the earth stands, there the sky is held in high esteem". Because each country has its own laws governing currency as a means of transaction. As far as I know, Indonesia only prohibits bitcoin transactions as a means of payment, bitcoin as an investment instrument, Indonesia does not prohibit it.

But in my opinion, the State should also not give sanctions to those who want to sell and buy using crypto, this is the basic right of every human being, as long as both parties agree. Because in ancient times buying and selling could be by agreement between the two parties to the transaction. For example, their agricultural products are exchanged for handicrafts from ceramic plates, jars, bowls, that is the individual right of each of them as long as they mutually agree and the government has no right to impose sanctions. Hopefully in the future Indonesia can implement a system like this, so that the country continues to develop following technological developments.

are you Indonesian?

If you are Indonesian, then you should understand that all crypto assets and Bitcoin cannot be used as legal tender in the Republic of Indonesia. Because the Indonesian government only allows bitcoin and crypto as commodity assets. which can only be traded on an exchange that has received permission from the government of the republic of Indonesia and by a special supervisory agency for commodity assets, namely Bappebti.

And what was conveyed by the governor of Bali is also in line with the rules that apply in Indonesia. Because even Bank Indonesia also said the same thing about this issue. (Sourch (https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cnbcindonesia.com/tech/20230525152501-37-440618/heboh-bule-bali-transaksi-pakai-kripto-bi-tegaskan-dilarang/amp))

And I think that all Indonesian people actually think that the Indonesian government is a government that is very friendly to crypto and bitcoin. Even the rules and regulations for bitcoin and crypto are clear in Indonesia.

And OP, are you not aware that there are only a few countries that legalize bitcoin payments, one of which is El Salvador (the first) and the Central African Republic (the second).

If we all expect Bali to accept bitcoin as a means of payment, then that means you all tell Indonesia to become a country that legalizes bitcoin as a legal tender, following El Salvador and the Central African Republic.

But I personally am a native of the Republic of Indonesia. I have been comfortable with and respect all the regulations our government has made regarding crypto. Crypto has legally become a commodity asset in our country. so that we are free to exchange crypto even in public. as long as it is not used as a means of payment.

and even one of the governors from West Java, namely Ridwan Kamil, has been a speaker at an extraordinary event a few months ago, namely at the BITCOIN CONFERENCE.

solution from me if there are tourists who bring bitcoin and need fiat. then look for local residents and exchange your Bitcoin with Rupiah. so you can shop freely with our official currency, RUPIAH.

And vacationing in Bali is like a dream for many people. so I think there's no problem with crypto that can't be used as a means of payment there. people will still be attracted to Bali. there is like a holiday tour that provides a lot of fun and its natural beauty is extraordinary. especially the beaches.

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are not permitted to be used as a means of payment such as fiat currency in Indonesia and in all regions within the territory of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia.
The Indonesian government itself has regulated that Bitcoin and other types of crypto currency are only commodity assets. The government regulates all forms of rules and regulations through the Commodity Futures Trading Supervisory Agency (BAPPEBTI).

The case that went viral in Bali at that time was because one person accepted cryptocurrency as a means of payment for transactions and was arrested by the police.
I share the same thought with ETFbitcoin that spending Bitcoins to visit tourist spots is not a goal.

Going to that place depends on your purpose, why are you going? it's hard to go there when you yourself don't know the reason even if it's one of the tourist spots in their country.

So if that's what he implemented about Bitcoin, there's nothing we can do about it, it should still be followed if you're there of course. If you have a good purpose in going there like Bali, I think it doesn't matter to you if it is forbidden to use Bitcoin as a payment there in their territory.

If I were to visit Bali, it would be because it has a lot of wonderful things to offer. I'm referring to the beaches, the temples, and other natural and man-made wonders. It wouldn't be because it accepts Bitcoin. So I guess I wouldn't mind if the province isn't Bitcoin friendly.

But supposing Indonesia accepts Bitcoin as payment, what can a lowly governor do? He will have no other choice but to abide with the law. It's just unfortunate that the country doesn't accept Bitcoin as a currency. What's even more unfortunate was its declaration as haram by the country's Islamic council.

every country has rules, crypto in Indonesia has not been legalized but is allowed because it is a commodity asset not for payment and it is regulated by the competent government, (as far as I know sorry if I'm wrong) Indonesia has currency like other countries one thing that is natural if the governor forbids there are crypto transactions in the government, at least the tourists respect the rules made the same as Indonesian citizens visiting other countries follow the existing rules.
your problem is that you want to come to Bali or not , that's your right, you don't need to have a negative opinion with Bali because the problem is they don't accept payments with Bitcoin

It's nothing but ignorance, countries like Bali are one of the few ones that should be benefitting from digital currencies already, if they are saying no it means they are ignorant and they sure lack the knowledge about Bitcoin.

I won't worry myself much about this if I am living in such country, all I have to do is carefully invest in Bitcoin without anyone knowing, if Bitcoin is not legalized in the country yet it doesn't mean I can't invest because no one will know that I am a crypto investor anyway.

I am not advancing you to do the same, I am using myself as an example of what I would do if Bitcoin is not legal in my country.

If they have such leaders then the governments will never grow up to their potential, Bali is an wonderful place and there are many foreigners come there to explore the place especially from Europe so accepting crypto currency is actually going to be beneficial for them right but instead they are doing opposite and advising not to use it so who is going to lose, which economy is going down if they are not giving space for what the people are there for.

Bali has recently implemented several peculiar regulations, possibly aiming to curtail the influx of tourists.
It is not surprising that they have prohibited the use of cryptocurrencies as a means of payment, as it allows them to maintain strict control over financial transactions :-\

The authorities are deeply concerned about the adverse effects of tourism on the local culture and traditions, hence their proactive measures...

I'm from Indonesia and I don't feel like it's a bitcoin malaise.
The condition of crypto as legal tender is still illegal in Indonesia and of course that includes Bali as one of the provinces in Indonesia.
The regulation still cannot be done because even though the interest of people in my country is quite good about bitcoin lately but of course it is not a reference for them to do whatever they want including by doing crypto as one of the legal means of payment here.
It may sound like a defence but we must be aware of regulations and I quite agree with what the governor of Bali did because he did not ban crypto in his territory on the other hand we are also in Indonesia still quite comfortable with the government not banning but at least we also have to obey the regulations because what is currently valid in Indonesia is still with fiat and currencies other than crypto.
It is possible that these regulations will change but for now the things that make crypto a legal payment still do not exist in Indonesia.

Our government is still welcoming and actually accepts bitcoin and even in the bitcoin conference some time ago one of the Governors from Indonesia became a speaker in Miami and brought an agenda where this will have a positive impact on bitcoin in Indonesia and I think that could not be done in other countries and just saying bitcoin is not a legal payment to be something that is not friendly because it is still related to regulation is a little excessive i think.
This was also discussed on a local forum actually and if you are interested those of you who understand Indonesian can visit https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5454652.0 in addition that indeed we in Indonesia do not mean not welcome to crypto it's just that there needs to be some clear rules that must be obeyed as well especially with legal means of payment.

There are a few things I want to clear up here.
1. Bali is not a country but only a province in Indonesia.

2. Bitcoin is not banned here, it's just that for legal payments it is still prohibited because there are still no regulations and bitcoin is also still a commodity that is actually quite popular so there is no need to hide to be in bitcoin because the government is also quite neutral and even tends to support this.

Indeed, Bali is a tourist attraction, renown for it natural beauty, stunning beaches, rich cultural heritage and friendly people. I have never visited but would love to go there whenever I get the opportunity to experience its wonders. It is unfotunate that Bitcoin is not accepted there as method payment. However. I would encourage you to unite and amplify your voices on social media, urging government officials to recognize advantages of embracing Bitcoin as payment system and consider regulating it in your country.

OP. The way you convey your message sounds too extreme, even though if you examine it more clearly that the direction is not as extreme as you say.
The Governor of Bali only said that Indonesia is not anti-crypto, it's just that crypto has not been legalized like El-Salvador or other countries that allow payments using crypto.

Then what does this have to do with the Governor of Bali's statement rejecting the Israel national team with his being unfriendly to crypto. No correlation.

I come from Indonesia. I think you need to explain the truth about what you have conveyed in this topic so that people don't misunderstand Indonesia's condition regarding crypto because Indonesia as one of the Asian countries is very friendly to anyone.
Regarding crypto, Indonesia also allows it as a commodity asset.

In taking a reference, you need to look at the contents written by the source, is the delivery of the news accurate?

Bali is not a country and Bali is just a province that has very beautiful tourist objects that are always visited by foreign tourists, and Bali is located in Indonesia and as far as I know Indonesia does not prohibit bitcoin or other crypto, and bitcoin is only allowed to be used as an asset, trade and investment but not allowed to be used as a means of payment.
and in my opinion that's better than the Indonesian government banning bitcoin as a whole and also crypto, and that has become a rule and every country has different rules against crypto or bitcoin. And the most important thing is that the people there can still use it even though it is not allowed to be used as a means of payment.

You are right, the way the OP conveyed the message of this thread was considered very extreme because he did not explain in advance about cryptocurrency regulations in the country of Indonesia, the other most extreme part was that he forced to link something that was irrelevant like there was a specific intention to convey a negative impact on that country.


The Governor of Bali must carry out the task of explaining to the public and tourists to respect regulations regarding cryptocurrency users as commodity assets because there have been several cases of violations found so the government does not expect this case to happen again. I appreciate the government because the cryptocurrency community is highly valued here and crypto-friendly even though its use must comply with regulations, but we expect new regulations that legalize the use of cryptocurrency for other functions rather than commodity assets.

Bali is actually a beautiful and popular tourist destination and I have some friends who will be going there in a couple of weeks and as far as I know they use bitcoin. They are aware that Bali is not particularly crypto-friendly but they have enough money to cover their expenses there so they don't need to rely on bitcoin. I will stay in touch with them and I will ask if they find any way to use their bitcoin there, perhaps through local trading stores or online platforms. We will see.

Even if Bali won't the allow the use of crypto I feel like it worth the visit, It's a fantastic place to spend your vacation, like you can enjoy the beaches, the pleasant weather and engage in various entertainment activities. It's one of my favorite destinations I'd love to visit.

I am purely Indonesian and the location where I live now is in Siantar, I do not mean to discuss that the Indonesian government prohibits bitcoin, but bitcoin cannot be used as a means of payment in Indonesia, especially Bali.

I brought up the topic above because one of my friends is a motorbike rental service provider located in Bali, he found some tourists asking him about whether he accepts motorbike rental payments with bitcoin, he said no because he was afraid he would be caught by the police, some tourists have canceled renting motorbikes from him because they heard my friend doesn't want to transact with bitcoin (I don't know if this is a trap or a real tourist).

First Bali is not a country, it is a province of Indonesia. Secondly it has nothing to do with ignorance, many countries ban bitcoin and have put restrictions on bitcoin but this doesn't mean you don't go there or live there only for that.

Government don't want to lose control of people with the most powerful asset which is money. If they don't ban bitcoin they lose control over people which no government wants.

Again, this isn't Bali's fault nor the governor's. The legal order against the use of Bitcoin as a currency is, of course, coming from the national government. The local leaders will have no choice but to implement it even if they're against it.

At the end of the day, visitors will have to toe the line because they are in a different country with a different set of laws, customs, and culture. After all, they're probably not visiting Bali because of Bitcoin.

Leaders change. Perspectives change. Sooner or later, the whole of Indonesia will embrace the new currency.

To be honest, as long as I do not live there, it doesn't bother me. Not like I will ever visit there because it would be financially silly, I haven't seen most major european cities, well in fact none of them yet, so I would rather spend that money on that, but the fact that I could means that I would not care about the laws of it at all. I would just focus on the situation a lot differently and I would not be able to actually consider that as a trouble.

I think it's quite important to remember that we should be considering these as no trouble as tourists, it's just not an issue, it's not regarding you, it's regarding their own citizens. You will be in an out, you won't stay there so why would it matter to you at all?

Visitors are here for exploration only so it's not going to be a loss for them but for locals it will be beneficial if government makes the tourism more conveniently so it will encourage more people to visit there.

We can take Dubai as an best example and how much efforts they are taking to keep the tourism at it's best since they understand oil resource will not last long and their main source of income will be from tourism so government as well as people are happy there cause of different approach.

Bali, a province within the country of Indonesia, is renowned for its vibrant tourist destinations. However, Bali remains compliant with the prevailing cryptocurrency regulations in Indonesia.

President Joko Widodo of Indonesia introduced regulations governing cryptocurrencies to prevent their use in transactions. This initiative aims to strengthen the position of the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) as the sovereign national currency.

The Governor of Bali must adhere to these regulations. Nevertheless, if you have ever visited Bali, you may still come across certain hotels and stores that accept cryptocurrency payments. They operate discreetly to evade government scrutiny, as such actions are considered illegal.

I apologize for not being able to mention the names of these hotels or stores.

I was not planning on going to Indonesia anytime soon, anyway. They do not want to accept my money, which is accepted almost everywhere in the world? No problem. I guess their Bali governor is just as misinformed, arrogant and ideologically submissive to the dictatorial ruling class.

What kind of normal person would want to go on vacation to a authoritarian developmental state in the first place? There are better places to go.

As I understand it, the entire crypto debate is stuck in place due to religious ideology. Thats the only reason. But hey, feel free to buy and sell stocks, right? Until Indonesia acknowledges its misadventures in trying to ban crypto, there is no point in going there, for a coiner, anyway.

But if you read over and over what you have said, it seems that the Governor of Bali is very anti-crypto.
The chronology of the case of the arrest of a person who received Bitcoin payments at a car rental service in Bali according to a press conference conducted by the police, it is clear that the perpetrator was guilty even though there was an explanation from the party who was caught.

The Governor of Bali has indeed said that he will give strict sanctions to anyone who makes a payment transaction using a currency other than fiat currency which is legal in Indonesia. In our opinion, this is something that needs to be emphasized, considering that Indonesia has not yet allowed cryptocurrencies as a legal means of payment.

To avoid misunderstanding, you better lock this thread.

Be careful for tourism want to use Bitcoin as payment transaction in Bali, Indonesia, there are illegal payment currency transaction using Bitcoin between seller or buyer accepted Bitcoin will qualify as criminal cases. Its not about bad or positive viewed from Bali governor but our country Indonesian is not legal using Bitcoin as payment currency and legalize only for investment assets.

But have one side with Bitcoin in our country looks funny, government not legalizing bitcoin as payment currency transaction but we have to pay tax fees each time transaction trading between buying or selling cryptocurrency assets in local exchange market. Almost 1% tax fees have to pay for one trading order between buy and sell but when using bitcoin as payment currencies will qualify as criminal cases.

Indonesia is not the only tourist destination that does not legalize the use of bitcoin and crypto in general. It can be said that most tourist destinations around the world prohibit the use of cryptocurrencies for payments. However, these laws cannot actually prevent people from using Bitcoin peer-to-peer and this is evident by the significant number of Indonesian users even by referring to the local Indonesian board here on the forum or in the peer-to-peer trading platforms.
What I do not understand is why the governor of Bali issues these statements even though the ban covers the entire country, and I also do not think that these statements will prevent tourists who use bitcoins from visiting the island or even from using bitcoins if they find a way to do so, even if it is outside the legal frameworks.

when you have the opportunity to visit bali then go there immediately, surely you won't regret it ^{(because i've been on vacation there)}

i agree with the opinion of some members that bitcoin is not recognized as a payment method in almost all countries in the world (not only on the island of Bali) so there is no need to be surprised by news like this, as a tourist, everyone must respect all kinds of rules that are currently applied and in this case is the prohibition to use bitcoin as a means of payment while in Bali.  breaking the rules that apply in an area will only make it difficult for yourself ^{(i also support residents there taking advantage of social media urging their government to revoke the rules)}

It is very unfortunate to see that the governor does not want to to trade with Bitcoin/cryptocurrency. This is absurd and I know that even his policies will not make people to stop trading with Bitcoin in the state. They can hide and run Bitcoin transactions without even the government knowing. All those people that hate Bitcoin would soon realize what they are missing and how wealthy Bitcoin could make them be. He is not different from some of the billionaires that are never a fan of Bitcoin and keep castigating the effect to Bitcoin to the society.

I live in Indonesia and I really understand why this governor said and stated this.
This is because of the regulation and laws in my country regarding Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
Crypto, including Bitcoin is LEGAL as a comodity asset, but NOT LEGAL as a currency for payment method.
So, he is not wrong because as a governor, he carries out the orders and regulations of the law.
And I don't think this will dampen the desire to go there. There are still many ways to pay there and we are also welcomed everyone to visit Bali and all tourism objects in the country, as long as following the rule and regulations of the country. And I am also sure that other countries also have different rules and regulations about something else, and we must obey whatever it is.

Do you know if Bitcoin is illegal to use as a payment tool in Indonesia? BTC and altcoins are legal for investment purposes only.
The governor has done the right way, he reminds every tourist to avoid using Bitcoin for payment purposes. It breaks the law, tourists can get into trouble if they use BTC or altcoins for payment tools.

You need to take a look at this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_cryptocurrency_by_country_or_territory

https://talkimg.com/images/2023/06/22/HDiTd.jpeg

There is an alternative for this case, why don't convert BTC to rupiah on local exchanges? We have Tokocrypto and Indodax that can give that service.

There is no problem even if Bali bans BTC/altcoins. Even before we are familiar with BTC or crypto, tourists come to Bali and pay anything in Rupiah. There are money exchange services, then we may have crypto exchange services in public spaces as well. So, it is just a minor issue, it won't bring a serious impact.

There is nothing people can do if someone who's a high official is against the usage of bitcoin and imposes a law or encourages its citizens and tourists to avoid using it.

While talking about the connection and ties of Indonesia and Israel, AFAIK, there's really a conflict between the two as Indonesia don't recognize Israel for its sovereignty.

Yeah, most of the Asia countries have difficulty in transaction in crypto and only value their own means of payment, many clients I've dealt with never wanted to do business with me because I mentioned crypto, not because they don't like crypto but they find it hard and difficult to get themselves verified on crypto platform and they suffer a lot of strict restrictions. Your governor has his own reasons to not allow crypto payments to be accepted and I would ask why.
On the other hand, if the restrictions on crypto payment would be the reasons why someone can't come over to your country for vacation, what means of payment is suitable for foreigners, can you guys accept Gift Cards?, because that is the only way an outsider can exchange payment when on vacation I guess.

The governor of Bali was just doing his job. It is his responsibility to announce that warning to the whole people in Bali, both the citizen and tourists. Well, Indonesian law is against the use of Bitcoin as a payment tool. The governor of Bali can't do anything, he only delivered what the laws state. Since Bali is a part of Indonesia, they must obey the laws as well.

Israel is a colonialist. Indonesia is always against a country that invades another country. Israel steals the land of Palestine, that's why Indonesia never recognizes its sovereignty.

Bali is a beautiful tourism place that deserves to be a vacation destination for anyone from all over the world. so what does this have to do with the ban on the use of bitcoin as a means of payment there which is in accordance with regulations in the country of Indonesia. People go to Bali for vacation not to use bitcoin as a means of payment. so this won't be any problem.

So I don't think anyone will have a problem with this. because even in other beautiful tourism places there are many who do not legalize bitcoin as a legal tender. except in El Salvador, which has legalized bitcoin as a means of payment there.

but I heard from several cross-country acquaintances. that many do not know that Bali is only one province in Indonesia. many of them think that Bali is a country. so it's normal if someone doesn't know that all regulations in Bali are of course the same as Indonesian regulations because Bali is one of the regions in Indonesia.

Tourists can still use Bitcoin in Bali. but it's not for direct payment transactions. but tourists can also exchange their Bitcoin first at a Bitcoin ATM machine which has also been on the island of Bali, Indonesia since 2014.

Namely at the Address:
✓(1)Bitcoin ATM in Kuta, Bali – Bitcoin.co.id Information Center, Legian Kaja Street, No. 455 Kuta, Bali Indonesia
✓(2)Bitcoin ATM in Ubud – Hubud, Jalan Monkey Forest 88X, Ubud Gianyar Bali 80571, Indonesia
( Sourch: https://www.finansialku.com/apakah-ada-mesin-atm-bitcoin-di-indonesia/ )

Use the Bitcoin ATM Machine and have fun on the island of Bali.

Just go to Thailand haha.

Thailand is very friendly to crypto and even allows people to do crypto business and do crypto meetings. And it's a great decision because it does not affect the government much but makes people happy and richer.

I think this is the best solution. I live in Indonesia but I didn't realize that there are Bitcoin ATMs in my country. thank you guys for sharing this information. I hope to have experience using a bitcoin ATM.  ::) but that means I have to take a vacation to Bali first And my location and Bali is very different. I may have to take two flights to get there.

The tourism is different part from btc and if they don't accept crypto payments so we should not visit there? What kind of logic is this I don't understand as many places which are attraction centre and destination place which don't accept bitcoin so will they see downfall in tourism industry? If they don't accept it they have their own issues and will regret later on but how many people are actually willing to pay with it travelling to Bali or any other place? The first thing they do is currency exchange for spending in that country but still you can find ways to make crypto payments.

Very valuable information, friends, thank you for sharing and hopefully it will be useful for tourists who want to do (alternative) transactions with bitcoin there.

thailand is a great place too but based on Tripadvisor bali is included in the dream place of many world tourists,

Read more (use google translate) (https://www.kemenparekraf.go.id/hasil-pencarian/siaran-pers-bali-masuk-10-destinasi-terpopuler-dunia-versi-tripadvisor-ungguli-london-dan-paris)

when regulations are made by the local regional government, its citizens also obey the regulations made. so do the tourists who come
if the goal is to take a vacation from the start, with a refusal to pay with btc is not a reason to cancel a vacation in Bali
my opini

Yeah, that's his job and there's no personal attacks on it. Somehow some of us have become sensitive due to these policies because on our perspective, we see that there's no reason for them to imply such laws.

Well, I have nothing to say about this issue. I'll better leave it to each their own and everyone has their own beliefs and views regarding these matters.

Why people refrain to go to  somewhere else just because they ban the currency that still is not widely spread around the world? Indonesia doesn't allow Bitcoin as any sort of payment method and they just following the rules about that, but still you can use it as investment method just like the others(but it's a different topic). People would still go to Bali because the great scenery and lot of beautiful places in Bali not because Bitcoin.

The article you quoted was published in 2018 when Indonesia still allowed bitcoin ATM machines to operate in Bali. But as far as I know, the bitcoin ATM machine in Bali has been deactivated and is no longer operating.

https://i.ibb.co/qpc0wdk/Mesin-ATM.jpg

A great alternative for foreign tourists is converting bitcoin and cryptos to fiat. That is one that will keep them out of legal trouble because Indonesia does not legalize bitcoin as a legal tender. Anonymous payments are possible, but they just can't be made in public like in many other countries as long as both parties agree on the payment instrument.

If you've been to both countries, you would know that Thailand is the same as Bali, but better. In Bali infrastructure is shit, impossible to safely drive bikes, you can be robbed, no Bitcoin, and the government hates tourists (for some fkn reason), so yeah, they don't want us around.

And I was talking about crypto adoption. Thailand even has its own crypto exchange and I know a guy who has a crypto business (an official one). So yeah, Thailand is winning simply cos government doesn't care about crypto, which is a great thing.

I think about whether someone wants to go to Bali, it is possible because they have come or heard stories from their relatives about Bali being friendly to tourists, apart from of course the beautiful scenery and customs which are very thick with its culture.
Regarding bitcoin, I think the governor of Bali is not unfriendly to crypto, but because the government of Indonesia [Bali is a region in Indonesia] prohibits the use of bitcoin as a legal transaction tool, so if there was an ATM in the past, it is no longer visible. . but the government doesn't prohibit bitcoin if you want to exchange it first with money that can be accepted there [idr,$], so there's no reason that you can't use bitcoin [crypto].

Using fiat currency when you are traveling to a new country is always the most convenient method. I don't know about regulations on Bitcoin in Indonesia but if their government does not prohibit Bitcoin and its transaction as payment method, locals and travelers can use it without legal issues. They don't need Indonesia accept Bitcoin as legal tender to use it for transaction and as a payment method.

Big problems for travelers and locals only exist if the Indonesian government says Bitcoin transaction is illegal and prohibited there.

Cryptocurrency in Indonesia (https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/article/cryptocurrency-in-indonesia). That article says you can use cryptocurrencies as commodities in Indonesia.

I would still wanna go to Bali even with the restrictions on the use of BTC. It doesn't stop me from having them in a wallet somewhere.
Sincerely, there could still be those locals who have BTC assets, after all it is decentralized and unless one makes a significant huge transaction through the local banks, or use the online banking apps to convert the coins to fiat, the government wouldn't notice.

If the government should open its arms to the use of BTC in such a beautiful tourist destination, more businesses and investment would be recorded.
Probably the government is just being wary of those who use decentralized currency for evil deeds and trying to discourage them from visiting Bali.

I totally agree with you, the point you highlighted should be the main things to put into considerations before picking a tourist destination. I don't see why the ban on the use of bitcoin as payment be an impediment for Bitcoin enthusiasts not to travel to Bali on vacation. It not a must that one will have to pay for goods and services with Bitcoin. What happens to fiat? One can always trade Bitcoin online to fiat through exchanges or P2P services and load up his/her international debit/credit card which can be use to perform transactions all through his/her stay in Bali.

It's their government and they have the rights to choose what's good for the people of their country. We cannot enforce them to follow any rules in the name of Technology. Country like Bali is very small and will never make a significant different in adoption of Crypto in the world unless we talk about Big countries like China, India, UK etc.

Also, them not accepting Bitcoin will not change my decision to visit that beautiful island.

Something tells me this has quite a bit to do with the recent woes Balinese police have had with certain types of remote workers who've made the island home ever since the pandemic. I was there a month recently and my local friends told me about this nuisance. Tourists are welcome there, for sure, always have been, and despite a high level of tolerance for terrible tourist behavirous, patience appeared to be wearing thin for the new breeds of long-term residents who act like tourists.

Specific nationalities were mentioned actually, but I don't like passing on rumours. However, because I also personally know from work crypto people remote working in Bali, and the kinds of behaviours associated, I feel there is some truth. Problem is, probably isolated incidents with entitled, cruiseship-trawling, cocaine-snorting, crypto brats who do scammy crypto startups from Bali. Giving a bad name to Bitcoin in general.

In any case, no big loss. In all my wanderings around the island, and even in the supposedly glitziest locations out of curiosity, I found just one shop accepting crypto.


Server I asked said she never had a customer request though =)

Bad behavior by tourists (you said above) has made headlines in many local media for several days, in response to this the Indonesian government immediately revoked visa-free from 159 countries (the worst was a pair of tourists who had sex in public places)
I'm sure tourists who go to Bali, from the start, have known what is not allowed and what can be done while they are there, but some traders said that tourists had asked them several times about payments via bitcoin but education about bitcoin to sellers there still no good.

there's really nothing to worry about, we can still transact with cash, right? as long as a place is not a war conflict area then of course we will still visit it.
if we want to visit a place, i don't think it has much effect on us canceling plans to go even though the place is still not Bitcoin friendly. We know that there are still many countries and regions that consider Bitcoin to be an illegal activity and are not fully accepted in every country right?.
Bali is not the only area that has leaders who are not friendly to Bitcoin, and I think if we want to go somewhere then we also have to comply with the rules they have set not to transact with Bitcoin but with cash or local currency.

For me it would not be an impediment to travel to a country simply because it does not use or rejects the idea of bitcoin as a method of payment, of course I admit that it would be interesting to travel to one that I frequent a lot, as is the case of the Salvador, I have never been but I have had the desire to visit that site

However, I reiterate that I could go to Bali without any problem.

every country has favorite tourist destinations that tourists want to visit, the majority of tourists who travel to Bali are looking for beautiful beaches while in El Salvador they have more places of worship such as cathedrals as tourist destinations for tourists ^{(there are some beaches too but not so famous)}

i don't feel that the desire to travel should be disturbed by the legality of Bitcoin which is regulated by the government in an area ^{(even if it's a country on the African continent or a city in China)}, just visit your dream place, without being disturbed whether the place accepts bitcoin or not ^{(as payment)}