APRA releases 2025–26 corporate plan to strengthen financial system

It outlines APRA’s strategic direction over the next four years.

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has released its 2025–26 corporate plan, setting out its priorities to strengthen the safety and stability of banks, insurers, superannuation funds and the broader financial system.

The plan outlines APRA’s strategic direction over the next four years and details its policy, supervision and data initiatives for the next 12 to 18 months.

APRA said its strategy is built around four key objectives: maintaining financial and operational resilience, responding to emerging risks, getting the regulatory balance right, and improving its organisational effectiveness.

Amongst the top priorities are strengthening cyber resilience across regulated industries amidst rising threats, including risks linked to artificial intelligence and geopolitical tensions.

APRA will also assess compliance with its new operational risk management standard CPS 230 and update prudential standards for governance.

Additionally, the regulator plans to publish the results of its first System Stress Test to evaluate vulnerabilities between the banking and superannuation sectors.

It will also intensify scrutiny of superannuation fund expenditure, review the governance and member outcomes of major platform providers, and release the findings of its Climate Vulnerability Assessment for the general insurance sector.

APRA said the plan places greater emphasis on balancing financial safety with competition, efficiency and productivity.

This includes consulting on the introduction of a third tier of proportionality in the banking framework, promoting access to more affordable reinsurance for general insurers, and removing duplicative or unnecessary regulatory requirements.