State-owned bank PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia, commonly referred to as BRI, has reaffirmed its position as a leader in banking services for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Indonesia, winning the Best SME Bank in Indonesia Award at The Asian Banker (TAB) Global Excellence in Retail Finance Awards 2025 held in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday, March 23, 2025.

"BRI has demonstrated its excellence in supporting MSMEs through financial solutions that are in line with MSME needs, innovation, supporting sustainable growth, and has succeeded in recording better performance compared to competitors," The Asian Banker said in a statement on Sunday, March 23, 2025.

BRI President Director Sunarso expressed his appreciation and gratitude for the achievement. He also said that the Best SME Bank in Indonesia 2025 Award is an appreciation and evidence of BRI's ongoing efforts in empowering MSMEs.

"This success also reflects BRI's role as a strategic partner for MSME entrepreneurs throughout Indonesia," Sunarso said on Sunday, March 23, 2025.

BRI's excellence in the MSME sector is supported by various strategic initiatives, including access to financing and sustainable empowerment programs.

The commitment in encouraging the improvement of the quality and competitiveness of MSMEs includes: 

First, BRI becomes the largest distributor of MSME credit with a portion of 81.97 percent worth Rp1,110.37 trillion. Until the end of December 2024, BRI recorded credit distribution of Rp1,354.64 trillion or a growth reaching 6.97 percent year-on-year (YoY) and all loan segments recorded positive growth.

Second, BRI’s distribution of people's business credit (KUR) worth Rp184.98 trillion reached more than 4 million MSME actors, the highest among other national banks. As a government program, KUR can increase access to financing for MSMEs. KUR itself is 100 percent derived from bank funding sources, while part of the interest portion that must be paid by customers is subsidized by the government.

Third, expanding access to grassroots economic finance, BRI Group's ultra-micro holding serves 36.9 million debtors and 180 million savings.

Holding ultra mikro (UMi) is a synergy between BRI as the parent company together with Pawn shop and National Civil Capital (PNM) to provide complete, integrated financial service access and meet the needs of business actors, especially in the UMi segment.

Since its establishment in 2021, UMi has expanded its services through 1,032 Ultra Micro Service Center (SENYUM) outlets spread throughout Indonesia. Now, it has served more than 183 million savings customers and 35.9 million loan customers.

Fourth, BRI empowers MSMEs through 38,574 business clusters in the forms of Klasterku Hidupku and Desa BRILiaN programs. This empowerment targets business groups formed based on similar businesses, in one area so that familiarity and togetherness are created in improving and developing the businesses of its members.

Fifth, BRI encourages the village economic ecosystem and empowers 4,327 BRILiaN villages. As a village empowerment program that aims to produce role models in village development initiated by BRI as a form of agent of development in developing villages.