Which Cards Work in Indonesian ATMs?
As long as your card carries a Visa or Mastercard badge—or the Cirrus and Plus network symbols on the back—it will work across Indonesia.
Fintech & Travel Cards
Wise, Revolut, Monzo, N26, and Charles Schwab work smoothly. They give you the real exchange rate and don't charge foreign transaction markups within your monthly allowance.
Traditional Bank Cards
Chase, Wells Fargo, Santander, Barclays, CommBank, and most national banks work fine, though your home bank may charge an out-of-network fee ( to ) plus a 1% to 3% FX margin.
American Express (Amex) and Discover are hit-or-miss. You might find an HSBC or CIMB Niaga machine that takes them in tourist hubs, but counting on them north of Denpasar is asking for trouble. Stick to Visa or Mastercard.
The Best Indonesian Bank ATMs to Look For
Don't use standalone generic white ATMs sitting outside isolated beach shacks. Stick to recognized commercial and state-owned banks. The four you'll see everywhere:
1. BCA (Bank Central Asia) — The Gold Standard
BCA is private, modern, and has the most stable software on the island. Their machines rarely go offline, their card readers are well-maintained, and their interface has clear English prompts. If you have a choice, pick BCA first.
2. Bank Mandiri
Indonesia's largest state-owned bank. Reliable, widely distributed, and handles international chip-and-PIN cards with zero hiccups.
3. BNI (Bank Negara Indonesia)
Another solid state bank. Very common in smaller towns and along main regional roads like the route up through Tegallalang toward Kintamani.
4. BRI (Bank Rakyat Indonesia)
BRI has the largest rural footprint in the country. You will find a BRI ATM in almost every Balinese village. They work fine with foreign cards, though their software occasionally runs slower during peak afternoon hours.
warning The One Trap: Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC)
Toward the end of your withdrawal, the screen will show you an amount in your home currency (USD, EUR, GBP, AUD) and ask:
[Accept With Conversion] [Continue Without Conversion]"
Always hit "Without Conversion" (or "Decline Conversion" / "Charge in IDR").
If you accept, the local ATM applies its own unfavorable exchange rate, pocketing an extra 6% to 10% on top of the transaction. When you decline, the transaction is processed in Indonesian Rupiah, letting your own bank (or Wise/Revolut) execute the conversion at real market rates.
How Much Cash Can You Withdraw at Once?
Look at the sticker on the front of the ATM. It will say either 50,000 or 100,000. That tells you what denomination the machine spits out:
- Machines marked 100,000: Maximum withdrawal is usually 2,500,000 IDR (approx. USD) or 3,000,000 IDR per transaction (25 or 30 banknotes).
- Machines marked 50,000: Maximum withdrawal is typically 1,250,000 IDR to 1,500,000 IDR. Your wallet will be thick with purple bills, but smaller notes are easier to spend at local roadside fruit stalls.
Need more than 3 million IDR? You don't have to find another machine. Just put your card back in and do a second withdrawal right away. Most cards allow multiple consecutive transactions up to your daily limit.
Two Critical Habits to Avoid Losing Your Card
Indonesian ATMs operate in the opposite order of machines in Europe and North America:
- The ATM dispenses your cash first.
- The machine beeps for a few seconds.
- Only then does it eject your card.
Dozens of travelers grab their bills, turn around, and walk away leaving their card in the slot. After 20 to 30 seconds of inactivity, the ATM will swallow the card for security. Cash in hand, wait for the plastic.
Need an ATM While Exploring North of Ubud?
As you head up Jl. Raya Tegallalang toward the rice terraces, bank branches disappear, but air-conditioned minimarts save the day.
Right across the road from KUKA Specialty Coffee, there is an Indomaret convenience store with a reliable indoor BCA ATM. It is safe, clean, camera-monitored, and dispenses crisp 100,000 IDR notes.
Grab your cash at the Indomaret ATM, cross the street into KUKA for an iced flat white or cold brew, and connect to high-speed 5G WiFi while you plan the rest of your day. We accept cash, international credit cards, and QRIS payments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Indonesian ATMs charge withdrawal fees to foreign cards?
No. Major banks (BCA, Mandiri, BNI, BRI) do not charge a local surcharge fee to international cards. Any fee you see on your statement was charged by your home issuing bank, not the Indonesian ATM.
Should I notify my bank before traveling to Bali?
Yes. If you use a traditional bank (Chase, Barclays, etc.), set a travel notice in their mobile app before boarding your flight. Fintech cards like Wise and Revolut don't require travel notices, but check your in-app security settings to ensure international ATM withdrawals are toggled on.
What is QRIS and can tourists use it instead of cash?
QRIS is Indonesia's universal QR payment network used by every street vendor and cafe. While cross-border QRIS currently works for visitors from Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand via their domestic bank apps, travelers from Europe, the US, and Australia still need local IDR cash or a physical Visa/Mastercard for daily transactions.