Short answer: in Australia, transfer times vary by method, but most domestic transfers between Australian banks are completed very quickly—often within minutes to a few hours, and usually within one business day when using standard methods. International transfers, or some bank-to-bank transfers that don’t use real-time rails, can take 1–5+ business days depending on the method and banks involved. Details by transfer type
- Real-time or near real-time rails (Osko by BPAY or PayID via the New Payments Platform, NPP): typically a few minutes to a few hours for domestic transfers between participating banks, 24/7. Some banks may show processing completion within minutes, though occasionally delays occur due to cut-off times or bank processing.
- Traditional domestic transfers between different banks (non-Osko): commonly 1–2 business days, but can stretch to 2–3 business days in some cases, depending on cut-off times and bank processing schedules.
- BPAY transfers (to pay bills or cards): often processed in the same business day if initiated before the bank’s cut-off; otherwise could take up to 1–2 business days, and occasionally longer for large or unusual transactions.
- International transfers: typically 1–5+ business days, influenced by intermediary banks, currency conversion times, and receiving country processing.
Factors that can affect timing
- Time of day and banking hours, and any weekend/holiday delays.
- Whether the transfer uses a real-time rail (Osko/NPP/PayID) or a traditional method.
- The sending and receiving banks’ processing cut-off times and internal processing speeds.
- Currency conversion and compliance checks for international transfers.
What to check to estimate your timing
- Confirm whether your transfer uses Osko/NPP (real-time) or a standard domestic transfer.
- Check the sending bank’s cut-off time for same-day processing.
- Verify the receiving bank’s processing times or cut-offs, especially for international transfers.
- Look for any posted delays or maintenance notices from your bank.
If you’d like, tell me your transfer type (Osko/NPP vs non-Osko, domestic vs international) and the banks involved, and I can give a more precise estimate based on typical cutoff times.
