Corporate Australia embraces real-time payments as finance leaders look beyond speed, according to the latest research from Crisil Coalition Greenwich
- Nearly three-quarters (73%) of Australia’s largest corporates are now aware of the transition to real-time payments, up from 51%
- 43% of large Australian companies have started planning their transition, up by 48%
- Banks and technology partners are playing a critical role in supporting the transition
Australia’s largest corporates are increasingly embracing the move to real-time payments, with finance and treasury leaders identifying benefits well beyond faster transactions – from improved cash flow management to better experiences for employees, customers and suppliers, according to new research from Crisil Coalition Greenwich and Australian Payments Plus (AP+).
The 2026 report, Ready for real-time? The state of Australia’s corporate payments transition, based on interviews with 682 large Australian organisations, found corporates see real-time payments as an opportunity to modernise how their businesses operate.
Respondents pointed to benefits including always-on payment availability, greater cash flow visibility and optimisation, more efficient reconciliation, stronger payment security, and the ability to pay employees and suppliers on the day payments are due.
The following are some of the key study findings:
- Awareness rising quickly: In 2025, roughly half of large Australian companies were aware of the plan to move to the New Payments Platform (NPP). In 2026, that share climbed to nearly three-quarters, an increase of roughly 43% in just one year.
- Many firms already making transition: In 2025, only 29% of large Australian companies had started planning for the transition to real-time payments. In 2026, that share jumped to 43%, an increase of 48%.
AP+ CEO Lynn Kraus said the findings reflect a shift in how corporate Australia views payments.
“Finance and treasury leaders are telling us this is about much more than speed. They see real-time payments as a way to strengthen liquidity management, automate finance operations and deliver better payment experiences - whether that’s greater certainty that employees are paid on time or removing the pressure of month-end cut-off times,” said Kraus.
“Momentum is clearly building. More organisations are moving from awareness into active planning, and those furthest along are already thinking about how real-time payments can transform their back office,” says Ian Andrews, Senior Relationship Manager at Crisil Coalition Greenwich and coauthor of the report.
The research found the NPP’s foundation on ISO 20022, the global financial messaging standard, was seen as a key enabler, supporting more automated, data-rich payment processes and closer alignment with international payment systems. Capabilities such as Confirmation of Payee were also recognised as strengthening payment controls by giving organisations greater confidence that payments reach the intended recipient.
“It is becoming increasingly clear that companies view the transition to real-time payments as an organisation-wide transformation rather than a standalone initiative,” Andrews said. “Those that plan early will be better positioned to unlock benefits.”
“Banks and technology partners are playing an important role in helping organisations understand the opportunity. For corporates starting their journey, our message is to engage partners early, build a roadmap and let business outcomes drive the transition,” Kraus said.
As businesses prepare for the next phase of payments modernisation, the NPP is now processing almost $9 billion in payments every day and 1.97 billion transactions annually.
