Australia’s customer-owned banking sector is set to take the global spotlight, with Sydney named as the host city for the 2026 World Credit Union Conference (WCUC).
This marks the first time the premier international event for mutual and cooperative banks will be held in Sydney.
The four-day event will run from July 19-22, 2026, at the International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney. It will be jointly hosted by the Customer Owned Banking Association (COBA) and the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU).
COBA CEO and WOCCU chair Michael Lawrence (pictured left) said the event would be an important opportunity to share and strengthen the customer-owned banking model.
“On behalf of Australia’s customer-owned banks, we’re thrilled to welcome our international colleagues to Sydney,” Lawrence said.
“This event is a unique opportunity for our sector to collaborate across borders, strengthen our purpose-led banking model, and drive purpose-led innovation across the global financial landscape.”
WOCCU Interim President and CEO Paul Treinen (pictured right) also expressed enthusiasm about the host city and COBA’s role.
“There is no question COBA is a world-class organization based in a world-class city,” Treinen said. “I have no doubt they will help us attract a large gathering of industry professionals who will get to experience an amazing World Credit Union Conference.”
The World Credit Union Conference is the largest international event for the mutual and credit union sector. It brings together senior leaders, decision-makers, and innovators from the world’s largest mutual banks, credit unions, and building societies.
More than 2,000 delegates are expected to attend, with the conference program featuring keynote addresses, interactive workshops, and networking events.
The host city announcement was made on the final day of the 2025 WCUC in Stockholm, drawing applause from over 1,900 professionals from 60 countries in attendance.
Although customer-owned banks represent just under 6% of Australia’s banking system, their impact is significant. The conference offers a rare opportunity to spotlight the sector’s value, independence, and purpose-driven approach to banking.
Although the World Credit Union Conference has run for over 20 years, this will only be the second time the event has been held in Australia. The first was in 2014 on the Gold Coast.
COBA, the host association, represents 52 customer-owned banks in Australia, including credit unions and mutual banks. Its global counterpart WOCCU represents more than 75,000 credit unions serving over 280 million members in more than 70 countries.
Registrations and sponsorship opportunities for the 2026 World Credit Union Conference in Sydney will open in spring 2025, according to COBA. Information will be made available via the official WCUC event website.
