Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — A sudden surge in Indonesia’s currency exchange rate displayed on Google has gone viral on social media, showing an unexpected drop of U.S. dollar against the Indonesian rupiah. According to Google’s currency converter, the rupiah surged to Rp8,170.65 per U.S. dollar.
On Saturday, February 1, 2025, Google’s search engine displayed an abrupt 50% drop in the USD to IDR exchange rate, reaching Rp8,170.65 by 6:00 PM local time. However, within the exchange rate table, the value remained at Rp16,355.25 per U.S. dollar.
The anomaly was not limited to the U.S. dollar; Google also showed a drastic drop in the rupiah’s exchange rate against the euro, listing it at Rp8,348 per euro.
Meanwhile, on financial platforms such as BCA, one of Indonesia’s largest banks, the exchange rate remained at Rp16,295 per U.S. dollar and Rp16,889 per euro, reflecting the actual market rates.
Market Trends and Recent Rupiah Performance
Prior to this unusual Google display, the rupiah had been weakening against the U.S. dollar. On Friday January 31, 2025, Indonesia’s currency closed lower amid a strengthening U.S. dollar index.
According to Bloomberg data, the rupiah declined by 49 points, or 0.301%, to Rp16,305 per U.S. dollar, down from Rp16,256 on Thursday (January 30, 2025).
Social Media Reaction
Screenshots of the dramatic exchange rate change quickly spread across social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), where keywords such as “Dollar” and “Error” trended in Indonesia.
“What’s happening? How did the rupiah suddenly strengthen by almost half? I checked the news, but there’s nothing about this rupiah surge,” one user wrote on X.
Another user expressed mixed feelings, torn between excitement over the apparent strengthening of the rupiah and skepticism about a possible Google glitch.
“I was shocked to hear that the USD crashed and thrilled that the rupiah strengthened,” wrote Zulfikar, on X. “But after checking the latest news and BCA’s rates, it looks like Google is having a rough day.”
Meanwhile, some users also criticized Google for displaying inaccurate financial data. “Google’s data source is completely off and is causing misinformation. 1 USD = 8,000 IDR? In reality, it’s still around 16,300 IDR,” one user remarked.
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No Official Statement from Google
Google has not released an official statement regarding the unusual currency exchange rate display. However, indications suggest that the anomaly was due to a technical error rather than an actual shift in market rates.
Regardless of the reason behind the glitch, this sudden exchange of Indonesian Rupiah has gone viral with many users on social media taking screenshots of Google’s display and sharing it on their social media.
(Raidi/Agung)
