30 January 2025

Following the release of our inaugural product roadmap in 2024, we are pleased to publish our updated 2025 roadmap that combines our product and infrastructure priorities. The 2025 AP+ Roadmap outlines key industry and regulatory requirements alongside other major initiatives.​

Key updates include:​

• Click to Pay for eftpos​
• Consolidated developer portal and consolidated member portal​
• NPP multi-credit transfer solution design​
• NPP process and message usage uplift​

Along with the above changes we are confirming December 2026 as the delivery date to upgrade the ISO 20022 version that the NPP operates on. ​

Exploratory work also continues, and any successful developments will be included in future roadmap updates.​

We will continue to engage with the industry and our members as we progress, and updated versions of the AP+ roadmap will be published annually.​

The 2025 AP+ Roadmap outlines key industry and regulatory requirements alongside other major initiatives.

Move to NPP: to prepare for the decommissioning of BECS in 2030, we are focusing on ensuring the NPP has the capability, capacity, reach and resilience to easily manage the expected volume of direct entry payments. This work includes:

• NPP process & message usage uplift: developing an approach for the return of bulk payments processed through the NPP; introducing batch identifiers to support the grouping of transactions; introducing a standard payment instruction format that end users can provide to their financial institution; and uplifting PayTo message usage (Merchant Category Codes, Ultimate Creditor) to support improved fraud screening.
• NPP ISO version upgrade: upgrading the ISO20022 version that the NPP operates on to enable software integrations by international vendors and benefit from innovations adopted in other markets.
• NPP Multi Credit Transfer solution: AP+ will begin detailed design work with industry in 2025 to support high-volume bulk payments with multiple transactions contained within a single message.
• NPP cloud migration: this will allow directly connected participating organisations to integrate their back office with the NPP platform infrastructure via public cloud providers.
• NPP capacity upgrades: ensuring that processing capacity is uplifted across the platform and participating organisations.

Mobile Least Cost Routing (LCR) implementation: the industry is expected to support mobile LCR by the end of 2024.

QR acceptance: our goal is to enable initiation for in-store payments using any smart device, initially via QR. It aims to provide consumers with a greater variety of services at the point of sale and integrate other experiences such as loyalty programs or simplified integrated initiation.

eftpos – token cryptogram: introducing a token cryptogram for cardholder-initiated transactions to enhance the security and efficiency of the Australian payment ecosystem, while fostering customer trust, and compliance with evolving industry standards.

Confirmation of Payee (CoP):  a layer of protection for payments to a BSB and account number in Australia. By matching the account name, BSB and account number entered with the details held by the recipient’s bank, Confirmation of Payee gives more confidence that payments are going to the right account.

eftpos – Click to Pay implementation: AP+ is standing up a Click to Pay service with the ambition to streamline e-commerce checkout and make it consistent, convenient and secure.

NPP PayTo porting: allow consumers to move PayTo agreements between financial institutions without having to contact each merchant and re-authorise their PayTo agreements. This will reduce the impact on merchants when their customers change banks.

Osko / SCT harmonisation: brings together the BPAY OSKO service with the native Single Credit Transfer (SCT) NPP product to simplify real-time payments into a single service, with a single brand and clear value proposition, streamlined rules and associated operational processes.

eftpos to update to 3DS 2.3: AP+ plans to support 3DS 2.3 to help reduce cart abandonment rates and provide enhanced risk management.

3DES migration to AES: Australian card payments will be migrated from 3DES to a new encryption standard (AES) by 2030.

Portal consolidation: AP+ is consolidating the developer experience across our products into a singe developer portal. We are also creating a single front door for members with a unified and streamlined member portal.

Cyber security capability uplift, fraud capability uplift and trust layer: AP+ is uplifting its maturity in the foundational cyber capabilities required to govern, identify, protect, detect, respond and recover from cyber incidents. AP+ is also expanding fraud capability across each AP+ scheme and supporting industry fraud and scam initiatives.

Source: 2025 AP+ Roadmap – Australian Payments Plus

After a weak year overall for Australian consumer spending, Visa’s Australia Spending Momentum Index (SMI) remained in expansion territory at 100.7 in January. The reading’s relative consistency with the previous month, which included strong holiday sales, bodes well for a sustained recovery. Spending momentum improved in all states and territories except for the Australian Capital Territory. While Victoria and Queensland were the only two states with readings below 100, their first readings for 2025 were above their 2024 averages and are on track to hit the 100 mark.  Following the holiday shopping season, the discretionary SMI fell 2.9 points to a still-solid 101.5 in January. The index stayed above 100 for the ninth consecutive month, indicating strength in spending momentum on non-essentials, such as travel. The index for all states and territories remained at healthy levels, with Queensland having the strongest reading. At the same time, restaurant spending momentum saw a decline, led by the Northern Territory and South Australia. By contrast, the non-discretionary index inched up 1.4 points to 99.3, with the strongest improvement in two states that experienced weak consumer spending in 2024: Tasmania and South Australia.  With inflation slowing, consumer spending is expected to be resilient, with geopolitics and the pace of interest rate cuts two major risk factors to watch.

Spending Momentum Index (Seasonally adjusted,* ≥100 = expansion, <100 = contraction), last actual: January 2025

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*The discretionary and non-discretionary categories exclude restaurant and gas spending; both restaurant and gas are included in the total SMI. See additional definitions of spending categories on page 3 of the attached report.

Source: Visa Business and Economic Insights. The Visa Australia SMI measures the current month relative to the same month last year. The national readings of the index are based on year-over-year changes in consumer spending with Visa bankcards.

Download your copy of the Annual Report 2024 today.

During this Scams Awareness Week, we’re sharing our top tips to combat scams. Following on from Safeguarding older and vulnerable individuals from scams today we bring you the next tip in our series.

Tip 2: Protect your data like you protect your wallet!

Financial institutions spare no effort in combating fraud and protecting their customers from scammers, and there are thousands of people working around the clock to protect you and your money.

However, in recent years scammers have realised they are competing with advanced multimillion-dollar fraud detection controls and systems, and therefore the path of least resistance is to trick customers into helping them bypass the fraud controls that are put in place for customer protection.

The truths we must acknowledge:

1. Scammers already have some of your data

There’s an alarming amount of compromised data out there, and scammers are becoming increasingly skilled at exploiting it. The numerous Australian data breaches publicised widely are just the tip of the iceberg.

You can check how many data breaches have involved your details at this website: https://haveibeenpwned.com/

2. If you think you are too smart to be scammed, you are a great target!

Scammers, armed with your stolen data, can piece together a comprehensive profile of their targets. That seemingly innocent chat on WhatsApp or a transaction on Facebook Marketplace can be a data-mining expedition. This, in turn, can be exploited to build trust and manipulate people into compliance.

The following are some steps you can take to shield yourself from scams:

• Stay informed: Learn from the experiences of scam victims, by putting yourself in the victim’s situation and considering how the controls you have in place could have protected you in their situation.
• Limit personal information sharing: Be cautious about the amount of personal information you share on social media ,and tighten your security settings. The less scammers know about you, the harder it is for them to craft convincing scams.
• Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Whenever possible, enable 2FA for your online accounts. This adds an extra layer of security, making it significantly more difficult for scammers to gain access to your accounts.
• Have strong, unique passwords: Don’t underestimate the importance of strong, unique passwords for each of your online accounts. Consider using a reputable password manager to help you generate and store them securely.

Your data is your digital identity, and safeguarding it is vital. Scammers can use your data to gain trust, manipulate, and exploit vulnerabilities.

By taking steps to protect your data and sharing this knowledge with others, we can collectively defend against data-driven scams and build a safer digital world.

Australians have lost $430 million to scams already in 2023, and as Christmas approaches, we can expect another spike in scam activities.

Here’s our top tips to combat scams.

Tip 1: Safeguarding older and vulnerable individuals

Equipping ourselves and our loved ones with the knowledge needed to fend off scams is crucial.

In this digital age, scams can affect anyone, regardless of age or technological know-how. However, older, and more vulnerable individuals tend to fall prey to scams more often.

In 2023, Australians over 65 have lost more than $108 million to scams and represented one in four of all scam reports. 

To combat scams effectively, it’s important to educate those at higher risk of becoming a victim. Sharing our knowledge, experiences, and staying vigilant empowers them to recognise and respond to potential threats.

Here are a few suggestions on how we can play a vital role in protecting our loved ones:

Initiate conversations

Be a trusted, non-judgmental resource available at any hour of the day. Engage in open discussions with older family members, friends, and acquaintances about the potential dangers lurking online. Encourage them to ask questions and share their concerns.

Teach them to identify red flags

Educate older individuals about common scam warning signs such as unsolicited calls, suspicious emails, requests for personal information, or high-pressure sales tactics. Equipping them with this knowledge improves their confidence in navigating scam scenarios.

Encourage scepticism

Encourage healthy scepticism and a “trust but verify” approach when encountering unknown or unfamiliar entities. Remind them to independently verify the legitimacy of offers, requests, or investments before committing to any action.

If it doesn’t feel right, JUST HANG UP!

Phone scams result in more monetary loss than any other method. If someone on the phone is making them uncomfortable or is moving too fast, they can always hang up! Scammers feed on people’s politeness. It’s better to risk offending someone than to risk a scammer taking all of your hard-earned money.

We encourage you to share with your vulnerable loved ones so that we can all be protected.

Let’s work together to ensure we’re all protected from the harms of scams. By extending our helping hands, we can make a significant impact in their lives and collectively build a stronger and safer community.

For additional information on supporting scam victims, visit the Scamwatch website: https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/protect-yourself/help-someone-whos-being-scammed

Read more scam-busting tips:

Protecting your digital identity

Indue client Southern Cross Credit Union (SCCU) are leading the way in adopting sustainable business practices to reduce their carbon footprint, with the upcoming release of a new card made from recycled materials.

The recycled PVC card product is made from waste derived from PVC Toys, Medical and electric plastic, and contribute to around 65% reduction in the SCCU’s card production carbon footprint, will be in the hands of their customers soon.

SCCU CEO Stuart Edwards said the key driver for adopting the use of recycled cards was feedback from customers.

“We listen to our customers, and we are going ahead with recycled cards based on customer feedback that they support SCCU’s commitment to making a positive impact for a more sustainable future,” Mr Edwards said.

“This change will see over 132kgs of plastic waste recycled into our bank cards over the next 4 years.

“At SCCU we are constantly implementing initiatives to reduce our footprint, and offering cards made from recycled materials, that can also be recycled, is another step in the right direction for SCCU as it will significantly reduce the waste and carbon emissions of our current plastic cards.

“This is another way we are adapting our operations to reduce carbon emissions and to ensure we are acting responsibly and playing our part to manage our impact on the environment.”

Indue CEO Derek Weatherley said Indue is pleased to partner with SCCU on its implementation of the recycled PVC card.

“Plastic waste is one of a myriad of sustainability challenges faced by the planet, and so it’s pleasing to see mutual banks adopting more sustainable solutions,” Mr Weatherley said.

“A range of sustainable plastic card solutions are available in the market and Indue has worked in partnership with our clients and our manufacturing partners to make these options easily adoptable by our clients and I believe we will see our clients quickly moving to these solutions as part of their sustainability programs.

“One of the elements of Indue’s community program lllumin8, is to focus on working with our partners to implement initiatives that address environmental issues to protect our planet.”

Find out more information on how Indue can help you deliver a card program to meet your business goals.