Up introduces Australia’s first in-app group money feature in banking
Money remains one of the last true social taboos — and one of the leading causes of tension between friends. New national research commissioned by Up reveals that 60% of young Australians find talking about money with friends more awkward than conversations about sex or politics, and 83% say it has caused arguments or discomfort in their relationships.
Up’s latest innovation tackles one of finance’s most persistent pain points — shared expenses — with the launch of Groups, the first fully integrated group money management tool within an Australian banking app.
But the discomfort doesn’t stop at awkward conversations. According to the findings, young Australians are overspending nearly $2,000 annually across shared house costs, group dining, travel, entertainment and gifting — largely due to unclear financial etiquette, poor tracking tools, and unpaid debts.
“Finances are deeply personal, so when we enter group settings, things can quickly become murky,” said Vivin George, Senior Customer Insights Specialist at Up. “From who pays what, to when and how — there’s often no script. Up’s Groups feature introduces clarity and consistency, removing tension from what should be positive shared experiences.”
Groups marks a leap forward in consumer banking UX. Built directly into the Up app, Groups allows users to:
- Create dedicated groups (e.g. for a share house, group trip, or joint gift)
- Track shared expenses and payments in real time
- Chat within the group to coordinate or follow up payments with your mates
- Instantly split and settle costs via the Up ecosystem
“Groups removes the emotional and administrative friction from shared expenses,” said Vivin George, Senior Customer Insights Specialist at Up. “We’re building features that reflect how people actually use money — together. With Settle Up, we’ve made the end of a Group refreshingly simple: one clean payment to sort everything, all within the app. No clunky add-ons or separate platforms — just a seamless, social way to share costs that feels effortless. It’s the next evolution of multiplayer finance.”
The launch of Groups is backed by new research commissioned by Up, highlighting unmet need:
- 86% of young Australians are actively seeking better ways to manage group expenses
- 87% want simpler, smarter tools to split and settle costs
- In shared housing, key frustrations include different financial situations (32%), delays in being paid back (30%), and discomfort in requesting repayments (28%)
31% have felt pressured to split dining bills evenly, despite spending less - 87% agree there needs to be clearer etiquette around money with friends
Where legacy banking tools focus on individual finance, Groups embraces the reality that money is often social. Whether it’s splitting rent, managing shared travel costs, or planning a celebration, Groups enables users to stay financially in sync — without the spreadsheets, the follow-up texts, or the emotional awkwardness.
With Groups, Up becomes the first Australian bank to embed real-time group expense management with chat and payments into its native experience — a true category innovation.
“Up is reimagining what banking can be — not just managing money, but improving the relationships that money touches,” said Vivin George, Senior Customer Insights Specialist at Up. “Groups turns a common point of friction into something transparent, fair, and even enjoyable.”
Up continues to redefine banking, pushing boundaries with tools that reflect how people actually live, spend, and share money today. With Groups, Up is helping Australians focus less on financial admin and more on the moments that matter.
