Bulk Electronic Clearing System
Decommissioning of the Bulk Electronic Clearing System: RBA Risk Assessment
March 2025
The Bulk Electronic Clearing System (BECS) is Australia’s primary system for account-to-account (A2A) payments. In 2023, industry announced intentions to decommission the BECS framework, identifying 2030 as the target end date. In 2024, the Payments System Board asked the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to undertake a risk assessment of the payments industry’s proposal to decommission BECS. This report presents the RBA’s risk assessment on the intended decommissioning of BECS.
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Ongoing Oversight Arrangements for the Intended Decommissioning of the Bulk Electronic Clearing System
May 2025
Following the publication of the Decommissioning of the Bulk Electronic Clearing System: RBA Risk Assessment in March 2025, the RBA has put in place an annual program of oversight of the intended decommissioning of BECS. This recurring program seeks to assess the risk profile of the intended decommissioning. It will also monitor how risks are being managed and how they evolve as industry responds to the recommendations of the RBA Risk Assessment.
Engagement with industry is central to the RBA’s oversight process:
- Key stakeholders will be asked to provide periodic updates on material developments and progress against the recommendations. Ad hoc updates will also be welcomed.
- The RBA will hold regular meetings with key stakeholders. These meetings will allow the RBA to seek clarification and provide an opportunity for the RBA to highlight any emerging areas of concern.
- Australian Payments Network and Australian Payments Plus will undertake and provide annual self-assessments on behalf of the payments industry.
The RBA will provide an annual update to the Payments System Board in March and will publish key findings.