As Platinum sponsor of Australian Payments Plus' "Beyond Tomorrow" summit, Zepto was thrilled to be at the heart of discussions shaping the future of Australia's payment landscape.
We arrived ready to engage, innovate, and contribute to the vital conversations surrounding real-time payments and the monumental move the New Payments Platform (NPP) from Australia’s legacy, 1980s era, BECS account-to-account payments infrastructure.
In this article, our team shares key takeaways and reflections from this pivotal annual event.
PayTo: From Concept to Reality
"My takeaway from the event was that the theoretical has now become the tangible when it comes to PayTo, and Zepto is heavily involved in leading this payment innovation charge," said David Martin, Senior Director Enterprise Sales.
"Attendees recounted how, just a year ago, PayTo was discussed in the future tense. Now, industry leaders like Red Energy and Amazon are showcasing live, impactful use cases. Seeing all of Australia's Big Four banks on stage, sharing customer-centric examples of real-time payments in action in 2025, underscores the growing momentum and ecosystem."
David Martin, Zepto
This shift from potential to practice was a recurring theme. As Parul Atreya, Senior Product Manager, noted, "Beyond the content — live applications of PayTo, the BECSIT transition, smart contracts, and AI-driven payments — the industry's recognition of Zepto's work was striking.”
“Almost everyone I spoke to expressed excitement about our innovations and upcoming launches. This reinforces the value we're bringing to the market," added Parul before emphasising the need for consumer education around PayTo, noting, "To truly scale, we need to drive consumer demand, which will in turn drive merchant adoption and bank experience standardisation."
The Human Element of Payments
For Trevor Wistaff, Chief Product Officer and Co-founder, the summit was about connecting on a human level.
"The many individual conversations I had, going beyond payments to discuss opportunities and challenges, were incredibly energising. Payments are inherently human, and getting to know the people driving this change made me optimistic about our collective potential."
Trevor Wistaff, Zepto
A Unified Vision and Call to Action
The summit's opening and closing addresses provided a powerful framework for understanding the collective journey ahead.
Emily Curlewis, Head of Marketing, reflects, "Dr. Brad Jones from the RBA, in conversation with Lynn Kraus, clearly articulated the crucial work underway with the BECS Risk Assessment. His emphasis on 'what is in the National interest' as the guiding principle for the NPP transition resonated deeply. The unified message from the RBA and AP+ was clear: 'We are all going to need to step up the intensity of how we address the gaps.' This commitment signals a crucial acceleration in our collaborative efforts."
Suzie Slingsby, Head of Strategic Growth, was particularly moved by Jelena Dokic's keynote. "Her raw honesty about resilience and vulnerability left a lasting impact. Her call to 'do everything with kindness, grace, and dignity' is especially relevant as we navigate this once-in-a-generation transformation. This human element is crucial for success," said Suzie.
Zepto: Leading the Charge
Chris Jewell, President and Co-founder, reinforced Zepto's leadership position.
"Zepto was proud to partner as a key sponsor. Featuring our PayTo partnership with Red Energy, alongside Amazon and NAB, showcased the diverse applications of PayTo and its focus on customer experience. We’re excited to see the emergence of these new use cases.”
Chris Jewell, Zepto
Matt Cheers, CEO and Co-founder, reflected on the PayTo journey so far: "Just a few years ago, PayTo was a concept. Now, we see it live across industries, and we're proud to have played a key role in its adoption. This crystallises the real-time payments opportunity and its potential to transform customer experience and drive new revenue streams. 'Beyond Tomorrow' is about imagination and collaboration, and we're excited to be at the forefront of shaping this future."
Looking Ahead
The "Beyond Tomorrow" summit served as a powerful reminder of the collaborative spirit driving Australia’s payment innovation. As Platinum sponsor, Zepto is committed to leading the charge, delivering cutting-edge real-time payment solutions that empower large enterprises.
We are excited about the future of payments in Australia and the role we play in pioneering it.