Read stories from Payments Expert and Editor,
Warwick Ponder
Sep 23, 2025
Banks and card schemes rebuked over threats on fraud, fees and rewards
Lobbyists at the Australian Banking Association (ABA) were left red faced this week after being roundly rebuked over their relentless public threats to throttle spending on fraud protection, discount rewards points and ramp up card fees.
Sep 23, 2025
Payments complexity plagues SME productivity, report
A new report details the hidden cost of payment complexity for Australian businesses in a digital world, with cash flow ranked the number one menace.
Sep 23, 2025
RBA limp on blended rates and LCR, despite market failure on SME card fees
Key strategies to reduce the cost of card fees charged to small businesses are not being used by the Reserve Bank of Australia, despite decades of market failure under the “reluctant regulator” and its proposed ban on surcharging.
Sep 23, 2025
Regulators close to cash fix, and flag consultation on Amex, BNPL and Apple Pay
Financial regulators are close to recommending a way forward for cash distribution in Australia, reiterating that hard currency remains an essential part of the economy and cash in circulation is at record highs. In the meantime, they have flagged yet another consultation - this time on Amex, BNPL and mobile wallets.
Sep 9, 2025
Bullock spruiks NPP while its key customer holds back volume
Reserve Bank Governor Michele Bullock has talked up the benefits of the New Payments Platform in Australia, while its key customer – the Federal Government - continues to hold back on moving substantial volume to the platform.
Sep 9, 2025
Tyro’s bizarre warning to SMEs, while industry still peddling costly bundled rates and surcharging
Tyro is warning customers to only make “modest price adjustments” in the wake of the proposed RBA surcharging bans next year, while continuing to promote hefty 1.4% bundled plans with surcharging to new small business clients.
Sep 2, 2025
ConnectID scores top rank in Age Assurance report
Australian Payments Plus (AP+) digital ID solution, ConnectID, has achieved a top ranking in the Australian Government’s Age Assurance Technology Trial report, which confirms that age assurance can be delivered in Australia in a way that is private, efficient and effective.
Sep 2, 2025
RBA flags greater scrutiny of payments resilience
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has endorsed an ongoing research program examining interoperability, third-party and concentration risks, resilience arrangements for high-value payments and the vulnerability of the payments system to utilities outages.
Sep 2, 2025
Routing now available for 50 per cent of debit cards on mobile
Mobile least-cost routing (LCR) is now available to 50 per cent of cardholders, according Australian Payments Plus (AP+).
Aug 26, 2025
ATO clears way for real-time super payments
In a big win for Australian Payments Plus (AP+), the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will require super funds to receive NPP payments from 1 July 2026, ahead of next year’s proposed payday super reforms.
Aug 26, 2025
Tyro transaction value flat, as buyers remain elusive
Tyro’s full year result shows that one of the Sydney acquirer’s key business transaction metrics has flatlined in the 12 months to June, while it searches for new business in verticals including pet health, automotive and aged care.
Aug 19, 2025
CBA axes rewards partners as door closes on fee holiday
With the days of fee cross-subsidisation for bank rewards card programs coming to an end, CommBank is slashing its partners and amping up rhetoric in opposition to the Reserve Bank’s proposed interchange fee reductions.
Aug 12, 2025
Privacy drives Amazon’s initial PayTo take up, while bank inconsistency is a problem
Amazon says privacy concerns with card payments is driving better than expected take up of PayTo, but some customers are being turned away because of poor and inconsistent bank onboarding experiences.
Aug 12, 2025
Tyro trading halt awaits pending announcement
Tyro Payments has gone into a trading halt pending a further announcement expected by Thursday.
Jul 29, 2025
Days of Apple Pay dominance numbered as government prepares to strike
The ACCC has sent a strong signal that the government is preparing to open payments competition on Apple iPhones, currently dominated by Apple Pay which has a stranglehold on the iPhone's NFC chip.
Jul 29, 2025
Specialty is key in new era of Aussie payments consulting
With increasing complexity around digital payments, a new breed of payments consultant is emerging in Australia focusing on niche specialisations to help businesses meet new challenges.
Jul 22, 2025
Is now the time for merchants and Government to actively back alternative payments?
With the cost of card payments firmly in the spotlight, it seems a good time to ask - why aren't Australian merchants and regulators doing more to support and promote cheaper, alternative rails like account-to-account (A2A) payments?
Jul 15, 2025
Industry clambers aboard the digital dollar trial with Aussie regulators
Is Australia moving closer to a new central bank digital Australian dollar, with the support of big banks, J.P. Morgan, three regulators, Australia’s domestic payments scheme and fintechs?
Jul 8, 2025
Shift4 completes Global Blue buy, as it moves into Aussie payments
With a series of heavy-duty acquisitions, Shift4 is poised to enter the Australian market with serious capabilities and a ready-made customer base.
Jul 1, 2025
Two consultations launched on A2A, including focus on bulk payments
AusPayNet and AP+ have today launched two consultations on A2A payments, following risks highlighted by the Reserve Bank of Australia.
Jun 24, 2025
Industry to launch A2A consultation and may reset BECS 2030 end date
AusPayNet and Australian Payments Plus (AP+) are about to launch a public consultation about A2A payments, following a raft of issues raised by the Reserve Bank’s damning risk review.
Jun 17, 2025
ASIC and the RBA stare down ASX after serious failures
ASIC has announced an Inquiry into Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) group, while the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) explores regulatory options to “ensure CHESS Replacement is designed with an appropriate level of resilience for critical financial market infrastructure”.
Jun 10, 2025
With a little luck, AP+ may launch eftpos Click To Pay for online payments next year
With a bit of luck and some tough negotiations, Aussie online shoppers may be able to use eftpos Click To Pay from next year, complete with integrated least-cost routing (LCR) to reduce costs for merchants.
Jun 5, 2025
AP+ to explore consumer protections on PayTo
Australian Payments Plus (AP+) will explore further consumer protection mechanisms for PayTo transactions later this year, potentially bringing the service in line with card payments.
Jun 5, 2025
Harro’s Empires considers legal options after AUSTRAC crack down
Crypto ATM operator Harro’s Empires is considering legal options after AUSTRAC refused to renew its registration and placed operating conditions, including transaction limits, on other Australian crypto ATM providers.
Jun 3, 2025
Would you trust AI to access your wallet and do your shopping?
What are the trust, privacy and liability issues for consumers in a new world of AI-powered commerce?
May 7, 2025
Big change ahead with PM’s payments reform agenda
From payday super, to cash mandates, new payment system designations and a possible ban on debit card surcharging, the new-look Albanese government has a big payments reform agenda that could kick off almost immediately parliament resumes.
Apr 7, 2025
Carsales revs up $30m in sales with real time Monoova
It has taken a while but there appears to be positive momentum towards real time payments in online car sales to address very real customer pain points like having to carry large amounts of cash, or face annoying delays with traditional bank transfers.
Mar 31, 2025
RBA focused on reducing wholesale card fees for SMEs, but blended rates have complicated the issue
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has told a large industry forum in Sydney that it has “significant and ongoing” concerns about small businesses having to pay much higher fees for card processing than big business.
Mar 26, 2025
Industry urged to consider the national interest with NPP migration
In Sydney this week, a packed room of Australian payments industry heavyweights was asked to pull together to ensure the New Payments Platform (NPP) delivers value for money and is in the national interest.
Mar 5, 2025
Least cost routing finally enabled for some Google Wallet transactions
After more than five years of lobbying from Australian small business to reduce the cost of mobile transactions, eftpos functionality and least cost routing (LCR) is finally available for some Google Wallet mobile debit transactions in Australia.
Feb 23, 2025
Will Victoria's Open Loop transit be ready to roll in 2026, with 20k readers still on order?
The Victorian Government is upbeat about the rollout of debit and credit card Open Loop payments for its public transport services from next year, despite rumours that its contractor, Conduent, is up sale and tens of thousands of readers are still to be delivered.
Feb 16, 2025
CBA tightens grip on Aussie transit payments with NSW contract win
CBA will provide transit ticketing acquiring services for the NSW Government for at least another five years and will also support the State to deliver “new technologies for improved journey planning, payment and information access”.
Dec 19, 2024
Get some rest during the holidays because 2025 will be a big year for payments
Some well-earned rest may be needed for payments industry executives and policy boffins over the holidays, before they face a very busy 2025.
Nov 20, 2024
TNS takes reigns of “secure, stable and efficient” COIN
The migration of the underlying network of COIN (Community Of Interest Network) from Telstra to Transaction Network Services (TNS) is now complete, according to TNS.