Research: 92 Percent of Young Adults Regularly Save, Only 27 Percent Have Emergency Funds

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The 2026 Financial Fitness Index (FFI) research recorded that 92 percent of young people routinely set aside income to save, yet only 27 percent have an emergency fund.

“The 2026 FFI study shows that amid a declining FFI score, the need to maintain basic financial fulfillment remains strong, such as daily expenses and debt repayments,” said Inggit Primadevi, Director of Strategic Analytics & Insight at NielsenIQ Indonesia, in a statement on Saturday (9/19/2026).

“Interestingly, we also see more people beginning to build savings habits and prepare for the future. This indicates growing awareness, which is an important asset for facing upcoming financial challenges,” she added.

FREEPIK/JCOMP Illustration of daily saving habits.

The 2026 FFI research is an annual study conducted by OCBC in collaboration with NielsenIQ (NIQ) Indonesia to assess the financial health, behaviors, priorities, and readiness of Indonesians in facing the future.

Despite the increase in saving habits, the financial fitness score among Indonesian youth actually declined to 39.64 in 2026 from 40.60 the previous year.

Meanwhile, the proportion of people with financial health scores above the Indonesian average rose slightly from 28 percent to 29 percent.

These findings indicate that increased financial awareness has not fully translated into stronger financial management practices.

Fifty-five percent of respondents believe their current financial planning will lead to future financial success.

However, 80 percent of respondents have yet to keep financial records.

This situation reveals a gap between perceptions of financial health and actual daily financial management practices.

Thinkstockphotos Illustration of managing finances during a recession.

While saving habits have improved, several important foundations, such as financial record-keeping and emergency funds, are still lacking among most respondents.

The research also found a correlation between having an emergency fund and the readiness to develop assets.

Respondents with emergency funds were found more likely to own more complex investment products, such as stocks, deposits, mutual funds, forex, and other instruments.

Nine percent of respondents with emergency funds already hold complex investment products.

This figure is higher compared to 4 percent among those without emergency funds.