Cheques Transition Updates

December 2025

The Cheques Transition Program continues to drive industry momentum with progress on the transition roadmap and plan, cheques use case migration strategies, industry communications, and overall governance and monitoring.

Key highlights are provided below. 

• Program roadmap and exit criteria: A milestone-based roadmap and exit criteria has been developed to minimise impact on customers and counterparties.
   
• Industry transition monitoring: Multiple industry dashboards have been operationalised that enable the various program working groups to track the decline in the overall usage of cheques.
   
• Use case migration strategies: Migration strategies have been developed for all identified cheques use cases. Strategies include promoting alternative payment methods, customising messages for key user groups, and developing exception process where needed (e.g. for bank cheques).
   
• Government Working Group: A new working group, comprising federal and state government departments and agencies, RBA Banking, APRA and ASIC, has been established to focus on coordination of the government’s transition and the delivery of required legislative amendments.
   
• Industry communications: A dedicated website for the Cheques Transition Program is now in development for launch in 2026, supporting customers and banks in raising awareness of the transition. 
   
• User engagement: The program continues to engage with government, consumer advocacy groups, and business peak bodies to drive awareness and address their concerns with the transition.