Roundtable opens public consultation on draft vision for account-to-account payments in Australia
Sydney, 30 April 2026 – The Account-to-Account Payments Roundtable has today released a public consultation on the draft vision for the future of account-to-account (A2A) payments in Australia. Submissions close 22 May.
The Roundtable brings together Australian Payments Network (AusPayNet), Australian Payments Plus (AP+), the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and Commonwealth Treasury[1].
The publication of the draft vision report for feedback marks the next step in a broader, multi-step process to shape a shared vision for the future of A2A payments in Australia, and a roadmap of high-level deliverables and milestones to achieve that vision. The intention of this work is to provide certainty to stakeholders on the long-term strategic direction for A2A payments, and anchor the industry’s development of A2A payments products, services and underlying infrastructure.
The draft vision has been developed throughout the Roundtable process following extensive engagement with stakeholders and drawing on last year’s consultation on the future of A2A payments undertaken by AusPayNet and AP+.
The A2A payments system is an essential part of Australia’s economy, supporting millions of transactions each day, including the payment of wages, superannuation, welfare and bills, as well as transfers of money to family and friends. The environment for A2A payments is changing rapidly, driven by advances in technology and automation, and shifting societal preferences.
The draft vision sets out the desired long-term outcomes for Australia’s A2A payments system – that it remains safe, reliable, low cost, easy to use, and inclusive for consumers, businesses and government agencies. It also defines the qualities that the system needs to demonstrate to consistently deliver these outcomes.
The Roundtable is seeking input on how the A2A payments system should continue to develop to remain a trusted national asset that meets the evolving needs of its users.
Feedback on the draft vision will be used to refine and finalise the vision. This vision will inform the development of an industry roadmap involving the prioritisation and sequencing of industry deliverables, consistent with public interest considerations.
Next steps
The full consultation paper and more information can be found on https://auspaynet.com.au/insights/consultations/A2Avision2026 and https://www.auspayplus.com.au/stakeholder-engagement/public-consultations
Submissions to this consultation should be submitted via A2Avisionconsultation@auspaynet.com.au. All submissions received will be shared with all members of the A2A Payments Roundtable, unless otherwise specified by the submission respondent. Alternatively, respondents may choose to provide their submission directly to any member of the A2A Payments Roundtable.
[1] The roundtable process is being conducted under the authorisation granted by the ACCC (with conditions) on 1 August 2025.
About AusPayNet
AusPayNet is the industry association and self-regulatory body for the Australian payments industry and currently has more than 160 members including financial institutions, payment system operators, major retailers and financial technology companies. AusPayNet manages and develops regulations, procedures, policies and standards governing various payments clearing and settlement streams including the Bulk Electronic Clearing System (BECS) Framework. Its purpose is to create confidence in payments by setting enforceable industry standards for a safe, reliable and effective payments system; leading transformation in payments to drive efficiency, innovation and choice; and being the home for ecosystem collaboration and strategic insight.
As part of payments modernisation, AusPayNet is currently working with the industry to develop the strategy for the future of A2A payments in Australia, as well as leading work on the wind down of the cheques system, the migration of domestic and cross-border payments to the ISO 20022 messaging format, and the upgrade of the Australian card payments system’s security to the Advanced Encryption Standard. As a key participant in the National Anti-Scam Centre and through its own Economic Crime Forum, AusPayNet is also supporting the Government’s strategy to combat scams and online fraud. See https://www.auspaynet.com.au.
About Australian Payments Plus
Australian Payments Plus (AP+) operates Australia’s domestic payments infrastructure – including the eftpos debit network, BPAY bill payments, and the NPP (the country’s real-time payments system) - along with ConnectID, a safe and secure way for Australians to verify their identity.By partnering with more than 150 organisations we connect banks, financial institutions, retailers, businesses, government agencies and fintechs to make it possible for millions of Australians to pay, get paid, and prove their identity every day.We’re shaping the future of payments by enabling innovation, enhancing security, and ensuring the payments system works better for everyone.For more information, visit www.auspayplus.com.au
