"Hmm every country has its own way, so we have to follow it if we don't get caught."
Foreign tourists coming to the Bali region in Indonesia have been warned not to use cryptocurrency as payment if they do not want to face harsh measures from the government.
This is because the government is trying to curb the entry of foreign tourists as part of its plan to deal with problematic foreigners who break local laws.
According to the Governor of Bali, Wayan Koster will take harsh measures such as deportation, criminal punishment and so on against foreign tourists who use crypto as payment.
In addition to insisting that the Indonesian rupiah is the only legal currency allowed as a means of payment, the Governor said offenders could face one year in prison and a fine of up to $13,000 if they use other currencies that violate the country's laws.
Koster also revealed that foreign exchange business activities can be carried out with permission from Indonesia's central bank and operating without a license will be subject to a maximum of five years in prison including a $1.4 million fine.
It is not denied that the region still accepts crypto but its use for payment is completely prohibited, said the Head of Bank Indonesia in Bali, Trishno Nugroho.
Earlier, Bank Indonesia had warned financial institutions not to facilitate payments in digital assets.
