Regulation

News on regulation, including from Treasury, the RBA, ACCC, AUSTRAC and other authorities

Cash

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Massive year in payments but 2026 looms even larger

Dec 17, 2025

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Massive year in payments but 2026 looms even larger

There will be little rest for the payments industry this summer, as businesses, regulators and lawmakers get ready for a raft of big changes in the New Year. In the final edition of PayDay News for 2025, we look at the big changes this year, and what to expect in 2026.

Digital & Online

Australia’s first real-time super payment from inside payroll

Dec 10, 2025

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Australia’s first real-time super payment from inside payroll

Employment Hero has processed its first Payday Super payment over the NPP via HeroClear, a super-clearing and validation solution built with payments provider Zepto and SuperStream messaging provider OZEDI.

Regulation

Dec 10, 2025

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CBA pays $792k for CDR breaches

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) has paid penalties totalling $792,000 after the ACCC issued it with four infringement notices for alleged breaches of the Consumer Data Right (CDR) Rules.

Merchant Service Fees

Banks fail to delay card review but could win on interchange

Dec 3, 2025

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Banks fail to delay card review but could win on interchange

The Reserve Bank of Australia will not bow to pressure to delay its inquiry into surcharge and card fees, but instead appears to be preparing to deliver the banks a win on interchange.

Digital & Online

Cohen bulks up PEXA team ahead of possible ACCC probe

Dec 3, 2025

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Cohen bulks up PEXA team ahead of possible ACCC probe

New PEXA CEO Russell Cohen has bulked up his executive team and cleaned house as he prepares for more government and regulatory scrutiny.

Regulation

RBA quietly launches major rebuild of its A2A payments infrastructure

Dec 3, 2025

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RBA quietly launches major rebuild of its A2A payments infrastructure

It’s clear the RBA knows exactly what it wants in a new A2A Payments Hub build. It has ruled out consortia or any alternative network designs, possibly leaving only a few players who can fit the bill.

Regulation

Retailers call on banks to act on Illicit tobacco as revenues take a hit

Dec 3, 2025

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Retailers call on banks to act on Illicit tobacco as revenues take a hit

Retailers have called on the payments industry to speed up disconnections of illegal tobacco stores, as their revenues take a significant hit.

Regulation

ANZ joins tobacco fight as AUSTRAC presses remitters on child exploitation payments

Nov 26, 2025

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ANZ joins tobacco fight as AUSTRAC presses remitters on child exploitation payments

ANZ, like its peers and PSPs, has not revealed how many illicit tobacco merchants have been cut off, as AUSTRAC orders an audit of WorldRemit for child exploitation payments and targets others.

Digital & Online

ATO urges employers to move early on payday super or risk compliance nightmare

Nov 26, 2025

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ATO urges employers to move early on payday super or risk compliance nightmare

Employers have been warned to move early on payday super, with the ATO expecting 25 times the number of rejected contribution payments and payroll platforms pre-empting cash flow management issues.

Digital & Online

Cuscal’s Indue deal to be finalised next week

Nov 26, 2025

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Cuscal’s Indue deal to be finalised next week

Cuscal expects to finalise its acquisition of Indue next week, after clearing the last regulatory hurdle.

Digital & Online

Triple Zero woes raise questions over critical payments infrastructure

Nov 26, 2025

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Triple Zero woes raise questions over critical payments infrastructure

Australia’s critical infrastructure regime covers 13 sectors including financial services, but is the regime in the sector as strong and resilient as Australians need their payments infrastructure to be?

Regulation

Comyn quits tobacco – shutting down terminals and accounts

Nov 19, 2025

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Comyn quits tobacco – shutting down terminals and accounts

With ANZ Worldline also taking action, questions remain over whether Westpac and NAB are making any credible efforts.

Merchant Service Fees

US merchants win the right to surcharge credit cards as RBA mulls ban

Nov 19, 2025

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US merchants win the right to surcharge credit cards as RBA mulls ban

In a moment of payments regulatory irony, a court settlement in the US may give merchants the right to surcharge costly rewards, premium and corporate credit cards, just as the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) looks to ban the practice here.

Merchant Service Fees

Westpac confirms interchange pays for its credit card rewards

Nov 19, 2025

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Westpac confirms interchange pays for its credit card rewards

Westpac CEO, Anthony Miller told the Standing Committee on Economics yesterday that rewards are funded by interchange fees, despite the Reserve Bank ruling them an ineligible interchange cost.

Fintech

ANZ Worldline gets tough on illegal tobacco as AUSTRAC targets banks and PSPs

Nov 12, 2025

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ANZ Worldline gets tough on illegal tobacco as AUSTRAC targets banks and PSPs

“Just like the banks, payment platform providers should already be alive to the risks of illicit tobacco profits and consider who they are providing services to and how much risk they carry,” AUSTRAC.

Regulation

Focus on new BECS timeline as Mulino makes payments debut

Nov 12, 2025

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Focus on new BECS timeline as Mulino makes payments debut

A revised closure timeline for the Bulk Electronic Clearing System (BECS) will be front and centre when the new Financial Services Minister Daniel Mulino talks publicly on payments strategy for the first time in Sydney next month.

Regulation

Merchant fees surge 10% ahead of proposed surcharge ban

Nov 12, 2025

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Merchant fees surge 10% ahead of proposed surcharge ban

New RBA data shows Australian merchants are paying $300 million more annually in card fees, despite political and regulatory scrutiny on surcharging and interchange reform.

Merchant Service Fees

NZ surcharge ban will create an “uneven playing field” with online excluded

Nov 12, 2025

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NZ surcharge ban will create an “uneven playing field” with online excluded

Feedback has now closed on the Retail Payment System (Ban on Merchant Surcharges) Amendment Bill introduced to New Zealand Parliament on September 16 and groups have voiced their concerns about the impact on businesses and consumers.

Fintech

Employment Hero, OZEDI and Zepto team up on Payday Super

Nov 5, 2025

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Employment Hero, OZEDI and Zepto team up on Payday Super

With the Payday Superannuation Bill passing through parliament yesterday, three Australian technology companies are mobilising to ensure compliance with the seven-day super payment expectation.

Merchant Service Fees

Mastercard wins right to challenge privilege ruling as ACCC case heats up

Nov 5, 2025

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Mastercard wins right to challenge privilege ruling as ACCC case heats up

An ACCC win that would allow it access to more of Mastercard’s internal documents in its three and a half year battle against the card scheme, can be challenged and could impact the case.

Merchant Service Fees

PSPs continue to push blended pricing plans despite looming surcharge ban

Nov 5, 2025

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PSPs continue to push blended pricing plans despite looming surcharge ban

Small businesses could be left counting the cost if they succumb to heavy marketing incentives to sign up to hefty blended rate surcharging plans ahead of a looming ban.

Merchant Service Fees

Small business “subdued” as RBA mulls decision on card fees and surcharging

Nov 5, 2025

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Small business “subdued” as RBA mulls decision on card fees and surcharging

Two new reports have articulated stresses facing the nation’s small businesses, as the Reserve Bank of Australia considers the future of surcharging and merchant fees which could deal another blow to the sector.

Fintech

Tyro and Square cut off illicit tobacco merchants, as KYC rules go out the window

Nov 5, 2025

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Tyro and Square cut off illicit tobacco merchants, as KYC rules go out the window

As violence escalates in Australia’s $10b illegal tobacco wars, Tyro and Square have started pulling out payments terminals - while other PSPs and payment facilitators are sitting on their hands and counting the fees.

Cash

Oct 29, 2025

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Cash strike hits Spring Carnival, as ACCC green lights continued collaboration

Strike action from cash-in-transit workers hit the Spring Racing Carnival just days after the ACCC has issued a draft determination green lighting the Australian Banking Association (ABA) and other industry partners to develop ways to ensure the continued distribution of cash across Australia.

Fintech

Oct 29, 2025

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Cuscal set to gain new bank, government and fintech customers by year’s end, as ACCC clears the way for $75m Indue deal

Cuscal is set to welcome about 20 new bank, government and fintech customers to its fold, after the ACCC cleared the way for its proposed $75 m acquisition of Indue Limited.