The value of Australian superannuation funds rose by 4.8% in the three months ended 30 June 2025 to a record A$4.3 trillion (US$2.8 trillion), according to data from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA).
APRA was releasing its Quarterly Superannuation Performance publication and the Quarterly MySuper Statistics report for the June 2025 quarter, which showed the sector had assets of $4.3391 trillion at 30 June compared with $4.131 trillion at 31 March and $3.943 trillion at 30 June 2024.
The regulator said in a statement that the 9.8% increase in assets in the year ended 30 June was driven by an 11.7% rise in APRA-regulated assets to $3.040 trillion, with self-managed superannuation (SMSF) assets rising 5.5% to $997 billion.
Among the APRA-regulated assets, retail funds showed the most growth in assets in the June quarter, rising 6.3%, outpacing industry funds (5.6%), public sector (2.7%) and corporate funds (0.8%).
But over 12 months, industry funds outpaced the others with growth of 14.8% compared with retail (12.2%), public sector (6.1%) and corporate (-20.7%).
Total contributions increased by 14.1% to $210.2 billion in the year ending 30 June, of which employer contributions rose 10.1% to $151.1 billion and member contributions jumped 25.8% to $59.1 billion.
Benefit payments increased by 12.8 per cent to $132.5 billion, as lump sum payments rose 14.3% to $73.3 million and pension payments added 11.0% to $59.2 billion.
Peak body, the Super Members Council, has forecast Australia’s retirement savings will surpass the British and Canadian pension systems to become the world’s second largest within the next decade, behind only the U.S.
Since 1992, Australian employers have been required to put aside a percentage (now 12.0%) of an employee’s salary to be invested for their retirement.
APRA also reported super funds generated a return of 10.2% in the 2025 financial year, with a five-year annual return of 7.9%.
Industry funds made up 52% of the assets held by APRA-regulated funds at 30 June, with retail funds holding 28%, public sector funds 19% and corporate funds 1%.
