Perpetual acquires majority stake in Interfi

Perpetual has agreed to acquire a 70% stake in loan servicing technology provider Interfi Systems.

Perpetual said the acquisition will strengthen the digital capabilities of its Corporate Trust business while continuing to reduce debt.

The ASX-listed financial services group said the transaction aligns with its strategy to grow Corporate Trust and expand its Digital and Markets division through a combination or organic investment, partnership and targeted acquisitions.

Victoria based Interfi provides loan serving technology to the non-bank lending sector and currently supports around $55 billion in assets under administration. Its platform manages the full loan lifecycle, from settlement through to discharge, and includes capabilities spanning loan administration, arrears management, collections and recoveries.

Perpetual chief executive Bernard Reilly said the acquisition would support long term growth within the group's Corporate Trust business.

"This transaction is in line with our strategy to invest in new capabilities in Corporate Trust to support long term growth and retain its strong market leadership," Reilly said.

"The acquisition is expected to contribute to growth in Corporate Trust's Digital and Markets division in FY27 and beyond," Reilly said.

Corporate Trust chief executive Richard McCarthy said combining Interfi's loan servicing platform with Perpetual's existing technology capabilities would help create a more integrated offering for clients.

"By combining Interfi's technology platform with our Perpetual Intelligence platform, our aim is to have a broader, integrated, digital ecosystem and accelerate our ability to offer clients an automated end to end solution, from lending through to securitisation," McCarthy said.

"Importantly, this also complements our core Debt Market Services business and products," he said.

Under the agreement, Perpetual will initially acquire 70% of the business and retain an option to purchase the remaining 30% by FY31. The transaction will be funded through internally generated cashflows and is expected to complete before the end of June, subject to customary conditions.

The acquisition comes as Perpetual continues to improve its balance sheet. The company said it expects gross debt to fall by approximately 15% by 30 June 2026, even after accounting for the Interfi acquisition and recent debt facility repayments.

Perpetual reported gross debt of $742 million as of 31 December 2025, with the latest update signalling continued progress in strengthening its financial position while pursing strategic growth opportunities.