The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has approved the NPP – Australia’s real-time payments infrastructure – for superannuation payments, removing a key barrier to help parties in the superannuation payment chain meet new obligations under proposed payday super reforms. In addition, the ATO has also announced that super funds must be able to receive NPP payments from 1 July 2026¹. 

The ATO’s approval removes the current need for super funds to strike individual bilateral agreements to receive NPP payments. It creates a more consistent, scalable path for NPP adoption cross the industry, helping employers and clearing houses move to faster, data-rich super payments, in the lead-up to payday super. 

The NPP is the real-time payments infrastructure already in widespread use across the Australian economy, supporting around $6 billion in payments each day. Best known through brands like Osko, PayID and PayTo, payments on the NPP move in near real-time 24/7, every day of the year – including weekends and public holidays.  

The addition of the NPP as an approved payment method for superannuation contributions brings the benefits of real-time, data-rich payments to the superannuation sector. In addition to fast 24/7 payments, this includes benefits like real-time confirmation that funds have reached the super funds’ bank account, and validation of bank account and payee details to help ensure payments are going to the right place – important features that can help reduce unnecessary errors and delays. 

“The ATO approval clears an important hurdle for the super industry as it prepares for payday super,” said Adrian Lovney, Chief Payments and Schemes Officer at Australian Payments Plus (AP+), which operates the NPP. 

“Enabling real-time payments through the NPP helps streamline compliance, reduce manual processes, and support industry-wide readiness ahead of the 2026 reforms – all while helping ensure super reaches workers more quickly and easily.” 

Planned to take effect from 1 July 2026², payday super reforms aim to improve retirement outcomes by ensuring employers pay super at the same time as wages. It aims in particular to tackle unpaid super entitlements, with the ATO estimating that in 2021-22 there was over $5 billion in unpaid super³.

Additionally, funds would also be required to reach employees’ super funds within 7 days of payday⁴. Super contributions often take much longer to settle today, in part because the Bulk Electronic Clearing System (BECS) that is currently used for most super contributions only processes payments on business days and can take several days to complete.  

With the new 7-day requirement and given the multiple parties involved in processing superannuation contributions – like payroll service providers, clearing houses, payment gateways, and super funds – fast and accurate payment will become crucial under payday super.  

1. In the lead up to 1 July 2026, super funds will be able to opt-in to receive an NPP payments from any sending solution. Updated guidance on SuperStream standard and FVS | Australian Taxation Office
2. While the legislation has yet to pass parliament, payday super is planned to come into effect 1 July 2026: Payday superannuation | Australian Taxation Office.
3. https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/stephen-jones-2022/media-releases/consulting-payday-super-draft-legislation
4. The 7-day requirement is subject to final legislation. Payday Super consultation continues | Australian Taxation Office

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