20 May 2025
- Super funds are busy uplifting their business models to improve their operational resilience, as their size and importance continued to grow.
- Retail funds continued to enjoy competitive advantage in providing retirement services.
- Industry funds continued to dominate in accumulation, with overall market share growth of 1.8 percent, growing to 40 percent in FY24.
- Hostplus joined the group of mega funds, after seeing total AUM grow above $100 billion for the first time in FY24.
According to KPMG Australia’s latest Super Insights report, which looks at recent data from APRA[1] FY24 saw a per-member lift in operating costs across the industry compared to FY23, lifting from $230 to $237 per member.
As superannuation matures and plays a more significant role in the Australian financial services market, we expect disruption to continue in the medium term,” said head of asset and wealth management for KPMG Australia Linda Elkins.
“The forces at play are prompting changes to operational frameworks and governance arrangements, and will ultimately impact the business models that will remain in the industry. These changes are impacting both superannuation funds and their service providers.”
The report highlighted that member service expectations are changing, following scrutiny over the past year around cyber security breaches, as well as delays in the administration and payment of insurance claims.
“The challenge to meet stakeholder expectations is increasing. On the one hand the industry continues to pursue a consolidation agenda with the promise to deliver scale efficiencies, and on the other, we are witnessing increasing expectations on strengthening administration and service arrangements,” Ms Elkins said.
“Cost management will be key to managing sustainability challenges that are being faced throughout the industry. Considering how costs are managed ongoing, is becoming increasingly important for super funds.”
There are now eight mega funds with more than $100 billion in assets in FY24, up from seven mega funds the prior year. Hostplus reached $115 billion AUM and therefore meets the mega fund criteria for the first time. In FY24, the eight mega funds included four industry funds, one public sector fund (Aware Super) and three retail funds.
Data References [1]
- APRA Annual fund level superannuation statistics back series: June 2004 to June 2024 (issued 30 January 2025) https://www.apra.gov.au/annual-fund-level-superannuation-statistics
- APRA Annual fund level superannuation statistics – superannuation fund expenditure (issued 30 January 2025) https://www.apra.gov.au/annual-fund-level-superannuation-statistics
- APRA Annual superannuation bulletin – June 2024 (issued 30 January 2025) https://www.apra.gov.au/annual-superannuation-bulletin
- APRA Quarterly MySuper statistics – September 2020 – December 2024 (issued 27 February 2025) and backseries September 2013 – June 2020 https://www.apra.gov.au/quarterly-superannuation-statistics
- ATO SMSF quarterly statistical report June 2024 https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/self-managed-superannuation-funds
For further information
Samantha Bailey
Media Relations Manager
KPMG Australia
0422 082 893
sbailey8@kpmg.com.au