Australian Payments Plus is targeting May 2026 for its cloud-based New Payments Platform infrastructure solution to reach ready-for-adoption status. The cloud option will give participants a lower-cost alternative to on-premises connectivity as the platform scales. The NPP processed 1.6 billion transactions valued at A$1.99 trillion in 2024.
An ISO 20022 message version upgrade is scheduled for December 2026. The upgrade will introduce new data elements and align the NPP with other ISO 20022-based systems in Australia. Enhanced PayTo messaging will carry additional fraud screening data for receiving institutions, including ultimate creditor identification and merchant categorization.
The Reserve Bank of Australia published a risk assessment of the Bulk Electronic Clearing System decommissioning in March 2026. PayTo porting, previously on the Australian Payments Plus Product Roadmap for 2026, was removed in the December 2025 update. The shift suggests the industry is taking a more measured approach to replacing the batch clearing system that still underpins a significant portion of Australian payment volumes.