<em>This study examines the relationship between financial literacy and proactive market orientation to the financial performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the economic crisis landscape Data collection was done by distributing questionnaires. A total of 550 questionnaires were distributed, and a total of 285 questionnaires were returned but only 157 questionnaires could be further analyzed. The results showed that financial literacy and proactive market orientation have a positive and significant influence on the financial performance of SMEs. The implications of this study show that companies that have good financial literacy and proactive market orientation will have the ability to survive and face crisis-stricken economic conditions, use effective financial resources and be able to adapt to a dynamic external environment.</em>