Super funds just delivered another stellar year. Is yours one of the best?

July 18, 2026 — 5:01am

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If you had a growth option sitting inside your super fund over the past four years, you’re probably pretty pleased with yourself right now. The annual performance results are coming in for growth superannuation funds in both the accumulation and pension phase for 2025-26, and it’s clear that many of our super funds have had another stellar year.

It’s the fourth in a row, and it’s been driven chiefly by international shares, particularly for those funds with solid currency hedging along the way.

The data, reported by superannuation research firm Chant West, shows that the median one-year returns from growth funds (which they classify as funds with 61 per cent to 80 per cent invested in growth assets) is 9.5 per cent for FY26 for funds in the accumulation phase and 10.8 per cent for funds in pension phase.

The gap between the returns in accumulation and retirement or pension phase isn’t a fluke. Pension fund performance is higher because superannuation in the retirement phase is tax-free. It’s one of the most generous perks in the retirement system, and yet many Australians over 60 and eligible haven’t got around to switching their account over to take advantage of it.

So who came out on top in 2025-26? The top-performing growth fund for the last year was Unisuper, across both accumulation and pension. It delivered a 12.3 per cent return on the accumulation fund, and 13.1 per cent returns on the pension fund.

They are followed closely by a tie for second spot, between NGS Super Diversified, and CFS Firstchoice Growth Fund, both with 11.5 per cent returns on accumulation and 12.4 per cent on pension.

And in third spot in accumulation funds was the Hostplus Balanced Fund, with 10.8 per cent returns in accumulation. At third spot in the retirement phase was AMP Balanced fund, with 11.9 per cent returns.

Zoom out a little further and the numbers get even more impressive. Growth funds in Australia in the accumulation phase have provided median returns of 44 per cent on a cumulative basis over the past four years, giving some of the most consistent returns in superannuation’s history.

The big question is, can they continue, and should retirees relying on these returns be planning for them to continue at such extraordinary levels?

The honest answer is........

© The Sydney Morning Herald