Payments in ANZ: A Market Maturing – and What That Means for Talent
Payments in ANZ feels different in 2026. For years, the narrative was simple: growth, adoption, disruption. That’s still true — but it’s no longer enough. What we’re seeing now is a shift toward a more mature phase, where margin, regulation, distribution and execution matter just as much as innovation. From a recruitment perspective, the question…
Published on May 13, 2026
Brad Johnson
Payments in ANZ feels different in 2026.
For years, the narrative was simple: growth, adoption, disruption. That’s still true — but it’s no longer enough.
What we’re seeing now is a shift toward a more mature phase, where margin, regulation, distribution and execution matter just as much as innovation.
From a recruitment perspective, the question has changed:
The Market Shift: Less Product, More Economics
Consumer behaviour has already moved:
• Mobile wallets now make up 40%+ of in-person transactions
• NPP is processing $6B+ daily
Payments are becoming invisible — and that shifts value away from frontend experience toward:
• Infrastructure
• Cost efficiency
• Routing capability
• Distribution
At the same time, consolidation is accelerating.
Hiring: Still Active, But Far More Selective
Hiring: Still Active, But Far More SelectiveHiring hasn’t slowed — it’s sharpened.
We’re seeing a split: some businesses reducing or restructuring, while others are hiring deliberately.
Consistent demand remains for:
• Enterprise / mid-market sales
• Commercial product leaders
• Risk, fraud & compliance
• Multirail payments expertise (cards + A2A)
Churn: Structural, Not Optional
Churn: Structural, Not OptionalChurn is still high — but increasingly driven by restructuring, M&A activity, and margin pressure.
Businesses are redefining what “good” looks like — and that’s creating movement.
Retention now comes down to:
• Strategy clarity
• Leadership quality
• Confidence in where the business is heading
The Surcharge Piece: The Biggest Near-Term Swing Factor
With the RBA’s final decision expected imminently, surcharging is the biggest variable in the market right now.
Australians currently pay $1.2B annually in surcharges. If removed or reduced:
• Margins tighten across the board
• Pricing comes under pressure
• Consolidation likely accelerates
This won’t impact everyone equally. Businesses with strong software value, better routing capability, and diversified revenue will be far better positioned than those relying on thin-margin or hardware-led models.
Salary Expectations: Sales vs Account Management
One of the biggest shifts we’re seeing is around commercial roles — both new business and retention.
Business Development (New Logo Focus)
Still commanding strong packages, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne:
Account Managers (Growth + Retention Focus)
This is where we’re seeing more variation — depending on book size, complexity and whether there’s an upsell component.
Market benchmarks (Australia):
• $90k–$110k base — typical mid-range
• $110k–$150k+ base — experienced / enterprise-facing roles
• OTE can push to $180k–$220k+ in more commercial / quota-driven roles
Key Shift: The BDM / AM Line Is Blurring
More roles now expect retention + growth, upsell/cross-sell responsibility, and ownership of revenue within an existing book.
Which is why we’re seeing:
• Account Manager salaries creeping closer to sales comp structures
• More variable/bonus tied to account expansion, not just retention
Bottom Line
Across both BDMs and Account Managers:
• Compensation is becoming more performance-driven
• Regional differences still exist — but are narrowing
• Businesses are paying for commercial impact, not just tenure
What This Means Going Forward
Payments in ANZ isn’t slowing — it’s maturing.
Over the next few years, we’ll see:
• More consolidation
• More pressure on margins
• More focus on efficiency and scale
And from a talent perspective:
• Hiring will stay active — but targeted
• The bar for top performers will keep rising
• The gap between strong and average talent will widen
Final Thought
If you’re unsure whether you have the right capability in place — particularly across sales, product, risk or operations — now is the time to sense-check it.
Published on May 13, 2026
Brad Johnson
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