Xerocon Brisbane 2025: What's New in Xero

Xerocon is always a big deal in our calendars, for two reasons: Xero know how to put on a show (and a party), and it’s the best place to learn about what’s coming in the accounting and advisory world. An insight into what will be trending, what’s launching and where we should be focusing for the year to come.

Every year we take some of the team to Xerocon and this year, Eve joined us in Brisbane to lap up some sun (although it rained!?) and lots of industry insight. Here are some of her biggest takeaways from the week…

I took away lots of handy tips and ways for clients to get paid faster (unsurprisingly a focal point for me as a bookkeeper!):

Payment Links (in beta phase right now): by using payments links in Xero, you can give clients more ways to pay. It’s flexible in that you can use as few or many options as you like (PayPal, Stripe or GoCardless for instance)
With Stripe connected, you’ll be able to send invoices as an SMS
For clients that send out recurring bills, using a provider like GoCardless or Stripe allows the customer to set-up their direct debit to come out monthly on the agreed invoice dates. Customers get informed before each payment is taken and invoices are marked as ‘paid automatically’
Using Stripe gives you the option of passing on the fee to the client to absorb, or you can pay it on your end

Some other new features launching on Xero from one of my favourite sessions include:

Deputy integration: the ability to manage rosters and advanced timesheets through Xero. Avoids the need for separate systems!
Employee self-onboarding: this will allow new employees to add in their personal details including TFN & superannuation details securely and will send the information directly to Xero. Employees will be able to look up their superfund details, avoiding delays in waiting for information
Payroll & Superannuation in one screen: with the introduction of payday superannuation (1st July 2026), Xero is updating their payroll screen to include an option to process superannuation straight away when posting the pay run (highly recommend taking them up on this feature to avoid a Superannuation Guarantee Charge)
Pay wages from Xero: no need for an ABA file and logging into your bank account to pay wages manually anymore. Payments can be run directly through Xero

More features that are new to Xero worth calling out:

Xero’s AI tool, JAX, is only growing. You can now request it to show you things like cashflow, gross profit trends and other financial data which it can then provide in a format that suits you – pie chart anyone?
JAX will also answer questions that address broader strategy and decision making like “give me some ideas on how to improve my profit margin next financial year?”
For fellow accountants and advisors, the Xero Partner Hub looks like it’ll be a game changer for efficiency and workflow. Access your tools in once place, without having to switch in and out. Read more about the Xero Partner Hub here.

For the full list of what you can expect to see (or can already see) on Xero across the next few months, head to their blog. You can read about how we work with Xero here.

FAQ Section for: Our Biggest Takeaways From Xerocon 2025

What is Xerocon?

Xerocon is the annual conference hosted by Xero for accountants, bookkeepers, and finance professionals across Australia and New Zealand. Often called the “Coachella for accountants,” it’s a two-day event featuring keynote presentations, hands-on workshops, product demos, and networking opportunities. Xerocon showcases the latest Xero features, industry innovations in AI and automation, and brings together thousands of practitioners to learn about the future of accounting and advisory services.

When and where was Xerocon 2025 held?

Xerocon Brisbane 2025 was held on 3-4 September 2025 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. The event included two full days of sessions, an expo floor with over 80 app partners, discovery stages with specialised workshops, and concluded with the legendary Xerocon wrap party at Cloudland on Thursday evening. Xerocon 2026 will be held in London and the USA, with the event expected to return to Australia in 2027.

What were the biggest announcements at Xerocon Brisbane 2025?

Key announcements at Xerocon Brisbane 2025 included payment links (in beta) allowing multiple payment options through PayPal, Stripe, or GoCardless; SMS invoice sending via Stripe; Deputy integration for roster and timesheet management; employee self-onboarding features; combined payroll and superannuation processing screens ahead of payday super changes in July 2026; direct wage payments through Xero without ABA files; and significant expansion of JAX (Xero’s AI assistant) capabilities for financial analysis and strategic decision-making.

What new Xero features were announced for 2025?

Xerocon 2025 revealed several game-changing features launching throughout 2025-2026, including payment links for flexible invoice payments, SMS invoicing through Stripe, Deputy integration for workforce management, employee self-onboarding for streamlined HR processes, unified payroll and superannuation processing (preparing for mandatory payday super from July 2026), direct wage payment processing eliminating the need for ABA files, enhanced JAX AI capabilities for cashflow analysis and strategic business insights, and the Xero Partner Hub providing accountants with consolidated access to all their practice management tools in one location.

How can Xero help businesses get paid faster?

Based on insights from Xerocon 2025, Xero now offers multiple tools to accelerate payments: payment links that give customers flexible payment options (PayPal, Stripe, GoCardless), SMS invoice delivery via Stripe for immediate notification, automated recurring payment setup through GoCardless or Stripe with direct debit options, and the ability to pass payment processing fees to customers if desired. These features remove friction from the payment process and give customers more convenient ways to settle invoices quickly.

What is JAX in Xero and what can it do?

JAX is Xero’s AI-powered assistant that’s rapidly expanding its capabilities. As announced at Xerocon Brisbane 2025, JAX can now generate cashflow reports, analyse gross profit trends, present financial data in various formats (including visual charts), and answer strategic business questions like “how can I improve my profit margin next financial year?” JAX transforms complex financial data into actionable insights, making strategic decision-making more accessible for business owners and their advisors.

What is the Xero Partner Hub announced at Xerocon 2025?

The Xero Partner Hub is a new centralised platform designed specifically for accountants, bookkeepers, and advisors. Instead of switching between multiple tools and systems throughout the day, the Partner Hub consolidates access to practice management tools, client files, Xero features, and workflows in one location. This integration is expected to significantly improve efficiency for accounting practices by reducing time spent navigating between different platforms and streamlining daily operations.

How is Xero preparing for payday superannuation in July 2026?

At Xerocon 2025, Xero announced they’re updating their payroll screens to include superannuation processing directly alongside wage payments. When payday super becomes mandatory on 1 July 2026, businesses will need to pay superannuation at the same time as wages. Xero’s new combined payroll and superannuation screen will allow users to process both in one action, helping businesses avoid Superannuation Guarantee Charges and stay compliant with the new legislation.

Who should attend Xerocon 2026?

Xerocon is valuable for accountants, bookkeepers, CFOs, finance managers, business advisors, and anyone working with Xero or considering cloud accounting solutions. Whether you’re looking to discover new features, earn CPD points, explore app integrations for your practice or business, network with industry peers, or stay ahead of accounting technology trends, Xerocon offers relevant content. Small business owners who want to maximise their Xero setup can also benefit from attending discovery sessions and speaking directly with Xero experts and app partners.

Is Xerocon 2026 worth attending for small accounting practices?

Absolutely. Xerocon Brisbane 2025 featured 60% more breakout sessions than previous years, with content specifically tailored to smaller practices. The event provides direct access to Xero’s product team, over 80 app partners offering practice management solutions, and networking opportunities with peers facing similar challenges. Small practices can discover automation tools to improve efficiency, learn strategies for advisory services, earn CPD hours, and gain competitive insights – all in two concentrated days. Many practitioners consider it the most valuable professional development investment of their year.

Where will Xerocon 2026 be held?

Xerocon 2026 will be held in London and the USA, marking an international expansion for the conference. The event is expected to return to Australia in 2027. This rotation allows Xero to connect with accounting and finance professionals across different regions while maintaining the same high-quality content, networking opportunities, and product announcements that Australian practitioners experienced at Xerocon Brisbane 2025.