Australia’s largest corporates are increasingly preparing for the transition to real-time payments, according to new research published by Australian Payments Plus (AP+) and Crisil Coalition Greenwich. The 2026 report, titled ‘Ready for real-time? The state of Australia’s corporate payments transition’, is based on interviews with 682 large Australian organisations and finds that finance and treasury leaders are looking beyond transaction speed towards broader operational benefits.
Awareness and planning on the rise
The research shows that awareness of the shift to the New Payments Platform (NPP) has grown markedly. In 2025, roughly half of large Australian companies were aware of the transition; by 2026, that figure had risen to 73%, an increase of approximately 43% within a year. The share of companies that have started planning their transition also grew, from 29% in 2025 to 43% in 2026, an increase of 48%.
According to the findings, corporates identified a range of benefits associated with real-time payments beyond faster settlement. These include always-on payment availability, improved cash flow visibility and optimisation, more efficient reconciliation, stronger payment security, and the ability to pay employees and suppliers on the day amounts fall due.
Role of ISO 20022 and payment controls
The report highlights the NPP’s foundation on ISO 20022, the global financial messaging standard, as a significant enabler of the transition. This standard is described as supporting more automated, data-rich payment processes and closer alignment with international payment systems. Capabilities such as Confirmation of Payee were also noted as strengthening payment controls, giving organisations greater confidence that funds reach the intended recipient.
AP+ CEO Lynn Kraus official said the findings reflect a broader shift in how corporate Australia views payments, noting that treasury leaders increasingly associate real-time payments with liquidity management, automation of finance operations, and improved payment experiences for employees, customers and suppliers.
Scale of the NPP and industry implications
As adoption progresses, the NPP is reported to be processing almost USD 9 billion in payments daily and 1.97 billion transactions annually. The research points to banks and technology partners as playing an important role in supporting corporates through the transition, with recommendations to engage partners early, build a roadmap and let business outcomes guide implementation.
AP+ operates Australia’s domestic payments infrastructure, including the eftpos debit network, BPAY bill payments, the NPP, and ConnectID, an identity verification service. The organisation partners with more than 150 organisations, including banks, financial institutions, retailers, businesses, government agencies and fintechs.
