Super assets hit $4.3tn over June quarter

Australia’s superannuation sector has expanded strongly over the June quarter, with assets, contributions, and benefit payments all recording notable increases.

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority’s (APRA) latest quarterly statistics revealed total superannuation assets have risen by 4.8 per cent in the three months to June 2025, reaching $4.3 trillion. Of this, APRA-regulated funds represented $3 trillion, an 11.7 per cent increase over the quarter.

Year-to-date, funds have returned 9.8 per cent, a significant improvement on the 5.9 per cent recorded in the 12 months to March 2025, the regulator said.

Total contributions for the quarter stood at $64.7 billion, bringing annual contributions to $210.2 billion, 14.1 per cent higher than the previous year. Employer contributions made up $42.4 billion of the quarterly figure and $151.1 billion across the year, rising 10.1 per cent year-on-year.

The increase in annual inflows partly reflected the higher superannuation guarantee, which lifted from 11 per cent to 11.5 per cent in July 2024.

Member contributions also surged, totalling $22.3 billion for the quarter and $59.1 billion for the year, an increase of 25.8 per cent from the previous year. APRA noted the rise was driven by stronger levels of personal contributions.

On the other side of the ledger, benefit payments totalled $132.5 billion over the year to June 2025, up 12.8 per cent on the prior year.

APRA revealed that growth was underpinned by a 14.3 per cent increase in lump sum withdrawals and an 11 per cent rise in pension payments.

For the quarter alone, benefit payments reached $36.9 billion, comprising $20.1 billion in lump sums and $16.7 billion in pensions.

Net contribution flows – contributions plus net benefit transfers, less benefit payments – were $27.8 billion over the quarter. For the 12 months to June 2025, net flows climbed 13.8 per cent to $70.5 billion.

Recent data from Chant West further reflected the strong returns coming from the super sector over recent months after a 10.4 per cent return over FY25.

The median growth fund, which typically holds 61–80 per cent in growth assets, rose by 1.5 per cent in July, and with share markets also rising in August, Chant West estimated the median growth fund is up 2.7 per cent in the first seven weeks of FY26.