Digital wallet provider DANA, in collaboration with Ant International and Konservasi Indonesia, has introduced the Ocean Buddy initiative, an interactive in-app mini-program designed to engage DANA’s 200 million users in Indonesia in marine conservation efforts.
The initiative, announced at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress 2025 in Abu Dhabi, draws inspiration from Ant Forest, a global program known for its digital environmental advocacy. Ocean Buddy integrates gamification incentives and lively visual designs to foster sustained user participation, specifically targeting the protection of whale sharks along Java’s southern coast.
This program aligns with DANA’s ESG focus on enhancing climate resilience for its business and the broader Indonesian community. Indonesia, as the world’s largest archipelagic state, hosts the largest population of whale sharks—a plankton-feeding species vital for global ecological balance. Konservasi Indonesia reports that Indo-Pacific whale shark populations have seen a decline of up to 63 percent over the past 75 years due to stranding and other threats.
Ocean Buddy represents the latest joint effort under Programme Sirius, Ant International’s flagship initiative. Programme Sirius convenes 13 global e-wallet leaders, including DANA, to advance inclusive and accessible sustainability through digital innovation. In June 2025, Ant International introduced its new Sustainability Framework, emphasizing collaborative sustainability, inclusion, and trust across its payment and fintech pillars. This follows the 2024 launch of AquaViva at COP29, a global program by Programme Sirius dedicated to scaling marine conservation via open collaboration.
Vince Iswara, CEO & Co-Founder of DANA Indonesia, highlighted the fintech industry’s role in addressing environmental urgency, stating, “Through the Ocean Buddy initiative, we want to prove that technological innovation is not only an engine for economic growth; it is also a powerful gateway to popular participation in protecting our marine and land ecosystems, to a sustainable as well as prosperous future for generations to come.”
Leiming Chen, Chief Sustainability Officer at Ant International, commented on the collaboration: “Ant International’s mission is to build inclusive, sustainable growth through innovation and open collaboration. We are thrilled to support industry leaders like DANA to achieve sustainability and growth goals for the world’s diverse communities.”
Tinton Galih Yudhianto, Director of Partnership and Communications at Konservasi Indonesia, added, “The presence of whale sharks is closely tied to the health of Indonesia’s oceans. Konservasi Indonesia supports DANA through the Ocean Buddy program by sharing scientific knowledge while encouraging people to realize that simple actions can make a real contribution.”
The Ocean Buddy program translates users’ daily online activities into tangible offline conservation efforts through a cumulative-score ranking and an Impact Coins system. These activities support projects such as first response training for stranded marine mammals and the protection of whale shark habitats. All educational content within Ocean Buddy is validated by Konservasi Indonesia. The partners intend to continue expanding Ocean Buddy’s coverage, fostering new partnerships, and developing additional features to promote nationwide conservation advocacy and action.
