Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia launched its first physical Gold Exchange Traded Fund (ETF), aiming to deepen the country’s financial sector and integrate its national bullion market for investors.Speaking at the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) in Jakarta on Monday, Deputy Finance Minister Juda Agung assured investors that the newly introduced instrument is fully collateralized by tangible assets.”A Gold ETF is a financial product, but behind it lies an underlying asset of real, physical gold. Investors must trust that the gold exists,” Juda stated during the launch, which coincided with the Indonesian Capital Market anniversary.He noted that global demand for the asset class has surged, with worldwide Gold ETF assets under management (AUM) reaching US$559 billion and holding over 4,025 tons of gold by 2025.”What we are doing today is not simply adding a product. We are expanding investment options while deepening our financial market to compete effectively with regional and global markets,” he added.To ensure long-term stability, Juda outlined three priorities for the new market, including continuous market deepening, strong integration with the national bullion framework, and uncompromised integrity.He emphasized that product innovation must be paired with rigorous oversight, investor protection, and corporate governance.”Our next challenge is not only to expand the market, but to deepen it and increase trust,” Juda noted.According to him, the launch represents a concrete step toward expanding public investment options and advancing the ongoing capital market reform agenda managed by the Financial Services Authority (OJK) alongside Self-Regulatory Organizations (SROs).Echoing these remarks, OJK Board of Commissioners Chair Friderica Widyasari Dewi described the Gold ETF as an immediate outcome of the regulator's broader strategic roadmap.”This launch marks the expansion of the bullion market as a quick win under our eight-point action plan for integrated financial market deepening,” Friderica said.Meanwhile, President Director of PT Kustodian Sentral Efek Indonesia (KSEI) Samsul Hidayat expressed confidence that the vehicle will serve as a viable alternative for retail and institutional investors alike, while bridging the capital market with the broader national bullion framework.