Ways to access the NPP

There are a number of different pathways to access the NPP, designed to enable as many organisations as possible to reap the benefits of the platform.

  • As an NPP Participant

    Organisations that clear and settle payments on behalf of their customers can connect directly to the Platform if they are an Authorised Deposit-taking Institution (ADI) or a Restricted ADI, whether they are fully or conditionally licensed. Because the Platform enables funds to move between institutions and accounts in near real-time, prudential safeguards are required to meet international standards for real-time payments systems (as set out by the Bank for International Settlements). A directly connected Participant also needs to meet the technical requirements of standing up and maintaining an NPP Payment Access Gateway (PAG) in a real-time environment. A PAG is a piece of the NPP infrastructure that enables the transmission and exchange of messages between other PAG holders.
    • offer and process real-time payments for my customers
    • register PayIDs® for my customers and perform PayID lookups via direct access to the PayID addressing service
    • use my Exchange Settlement account at the RBA to settle payments in real-time
    • choose to connect directly by having my own NPP payment gateway in my operating environment
    • have a say in the governance and future direction of the NPP
    • provide secondary access services to third parties if I choose to
    I can...
    • an Exchange Settlement account at the RBA and an ADI licence (including a restricted ADI licence)
    • to meet certain technical connectivity requirements
    • to have real-time fraud protection and detection controls and capabilities in place
    • the requisite KYC and AML controls and policies in place
    I need...
  • As an NPP Settlement Participant

    An organisation that has an Exchange Settlement Account with the Reserve Bank of Australia could choose to become a Settlement Participant, connecting indirectly to the Platform. A Settlement Participant can have NPP payments settled directly into their Exchange Settlement Account and needs to have a commercial arrangement with a directly connected NPP Full Participant to perform clearing functions on their behalf. A Settlement Participant does not need to be an ADI. Becoming a Settlement Participant also entails becoming a shareholder in NPPA.
    • offer real-time payments to my customers (like a NPP Full Participant)
    • use my own Exchange Settlement account at the RBA to settle my payments in real-time
    • register PayIDs for my customers and perform PayID lookups via indirect access to the PayID addressing service through my sponsoring NPP Full Participant
    • have a say in the governance and future direction of the NPP
    • use the native capabilities of the platform and overlay services offered by my sponsoring NPP Full Participant
    I can...
    • an Exchange Settlement account at the RBA (but I am not required to hold an ADI licence)
    • a commercial arrangement with a sponsoring NPP Full Participant to provide me with payment clearing services (to see who offers connectivity services, click here)
    • to have real-time fraud protection and detection controls and capabilities, or have these supplied by my sponsoring NPP Full Participant
    • to satisfy my sponsoring NPP Full Participant that I have the requisite KYC and AML controls and policies in place
    I need...
  • As an NPP Identified Institution

    An Identified Institution can offer customers NPP enabled payments via an arrangement with a directly connected NPP Full Participant who can clear and settle payments on their behalf. An Identified Institution does not need to be either an ADI or a Restricted ADI, nor does it need to install and support an NPP Payment Access Gateway. This is the most popular way to access the Platform with the majority of participating organisations currently using the NPP this way. There are a number of directly connected Participants that offer this type of connectivity arrangement, including non-bank organisations whose business model is focused on providing wholesale access to payment streams.
    • offer real-time payments to my customers (just as an NPP Full Participant does)
    • register PayIDs for my customers and perform PayID lookups via indirect access to the PayID addressing service through my sponsoring NPP Full Participant
    • use the native capabilities of the platform and overlay services offered by my sponsoring NPP Full Participant
    I can...
    • a commercial arrangement with an NPP Full Participant (to see who offers connectivity services, click here)
    • to use the Exchange Settlement account of my sponsoring NPP Full Participant to settle my customers’ payments
    • to have real-time fraud protection and detection controls and capabilities, or have these supplied by my sponsoring NPP Full Participant
    • to satisfy my sponsoring NPP Full Participant that I have the requisite KYC and AML controls and policies in place
    • to have my own BSB and a SWIFT BIC code
    I need...
  • As an NPP Connected Institution

    A ‘Connected Institution’ is an organisation that could connect directly to the NPP to initiate payments with participating financial institutions (when this messaging capability is available). This could include organisations like payroll providers or share registries. Because these organisations are not directly processing or clearing payments they are not required to be an ADI or RADI. However, they are required to be able to meet the technical requirements to stand up and maintain their own NPP PAG in a real-time environment and meet all security requirements.
    • send payment initiation instructions to NPP participants for payments to be processed from customer’s accounts (when this messaging capability is available. For more information, see the NPP Roadmap)
    • perform PayID lookups via indirect access to the PayID addressing service, or directly if I am also an Overlay Service Provider
    • choose to connect directly by having my own NPP payment gateway in my operating environment
    I can...
    • to meet certain technical connectivity and associated requirements, e.g. resilience, availability and cyber-security. For more information click here.
    • to have real-time fraud protection and detection controls and capabilities in place
    • the requisite KYC and AML controls and policies in place
    • be licensed to operate in Australia
    • be able to demonstrate financial solvency
    • meet certain credit risk requirements
    I need...
  • As an NPP Overlay Service Provider

    An Overlay Service is a product or service that uses the NPP’s capabilities in a way that defines a unique payment experience or process. This is done by defining the ‘messages’ or ‘rules’ that decide how a payment will travel along the NPP in regards to speed, the type of information that goes with the payment and what the end customer experience is. Organisations wanting to customise NPP messages or capabilities can become an Overlay Service Provider if they are incorporated in Australia and can show a sound business plan backed by the required expertise. Overlay Service Providers offer their product or service to NPP participants and other organisational subscribers, who then distribute it to their customers. It’s important to remember that not all Overlay Services need to be customer facing – they could also be business improvement processes, compliance or ‘Regtech’ solutions. It’s also important to remember that many payments innovation or processes do not require an Overlay Service to be built.
    • develop a customised product or service (if I need more than what is offered as native capability on the platform or require specific customisation for my product or service)
    • offer my product or service to the customers of NPP participants and Identified Institutions if they have opted into my product or service
    I can...
    • to define the specifications and rules of my product or service (including NPP ISO 20022 message specifications)
    • to be licensed to operate in Australia
    • to demonstrate financial solvency
    • to negotiate commercial arrangements with NPP participants to offer my product or service
    I need...
  • As an NPP End User

    Businesses and corporates can use the NPP to make and receive payments, the same way a consumer does, by simply having an account at one of the many participating organisations that offer NPP services to their business and corporate clients. They can also receive payments via the NPP by creating a PayID with their participating financial institution and providing it to their customers.
    • receive and make NPP payments to and from my account
    • incorporate NPP payment capability into my own product and service offering using the native capability of the Platform or an existing overlay service
    • if I am a business, my customers can make payments to my account using my PayID or using my BSB and account number
    • Pay my customers in real-time
    I can...
    • to have an NPP enabled account with an NPP participating financial institution
    • to register for a PayID if I want to receive NPP payments using a PayID
    I need...