How to find your super fund's Unique Superannuation Identifier (USI) number

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If you are changing jobs or want to rollover your super, you may be asked to provide a Unique Superannuation Identifier, or USI. Here we break down what a USI is and where you can find it.

What is a USI?

A USI is a number used to identify different super funds and specific superannuation fund products. You may be asked to provide a USI when you are changing super funds and transferring some or all of your super balance between funds.

USI numbers were introduced in July 2014. The USI is used in the ‘SuperStream’ system. This is the system that businesses must use to pay employees’ super contributions.

Previously, super funds may have used either an Australian Business Number (ABN), Superannuation Product Identifier Number (SPIN), or a Superannuation Fund Number (SFN).

The USI has now replaced all of these for super funds regulated by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), but some self-managed super funds (SMSFs) may still have an ABN.

Under super stapling rules introduced in November 2021, if you are moving to a new job and have an existing super account, your employer will be required to make super contributions into your existing fund by default, unless you opt to switch to another fund.

The benefit of stapling is it’s designed to eliminate duplicate fees, but it’s only good if you are in a strongly-performing super fund in the first place.

Compare Superannuation with Canstar

The table below displays some of the superannuation funds currently available on Canstar’s database for Australians aged 30 to 39 with a super balance of up to $55,000. The results shown are sorted by Star Rating (highest to lowest) and then by 5 year return (highest to lowest). Performance figures shown reflect net investment performance, i.e. net of investment tax, investment management fees and the applicable administration fees based on an account balance of $50,000. To learn more about performance information, click here. Consider the Target Market Determination (TMD) before making a purchase decision. Contact the product issuer directly for a copy of the TMD. Use Canstar’s superannuation comparison selector to view a wider range of super funds. Canstar may earn a fee for referrals.

Aware Super | High Growth (Lifecycle investment)

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Active Super | Lifestage - Accelerator

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Hostplus Super | Personal - Balanced

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AustralianSuper | Balanced (Accumulation)

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UniSuper | Personal Account - Balanced (MySuper)

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Performance, fee and other information displayed in the table has been updated from time to time since the rating date and may not reflect the products as rated.
The performance and fee information shown in the table is for the investment option used by Canstar in rating of the superannuation product.
Performance information shown is for the historical periods up to 31/01/2024 and investment options noted in the table information.
Performance figures shown reflect net investment performance, i.e. net of investment tax, investment management fees and the applicable administration fees based on an account balance of $50,000. To learn more about performance information, click here.
Performance data may not be available for some products. This is indicated in the tables by a note referring the user to the product provider, or by no performance information being shown.
Please note that all information about performance returns is historical. Past performance should not be relied upon as an indicator of future performance; unit prices and the value of your investment may fall as well as rise.
Any advice on this page is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether this general financial advice is right for your personal circumstances. You may need financial advice from a qualified adviser. Canstar is not providing a recommendation for your individual circumstances. See our Detailed Disclosure.
Not all superannuation funds in the market are listed, and the list above may not include all features relevant to you. Canstar is not providing a recommendation for your individual circumstances.
Canstar may earn a fee for referrals from its website tables, and from Sponsorship or Promotion of certain products. Fees payable by product providers for referrals and Sponsorship or Promotion may vary between providers, website position, and revenue model. Sponsorship or Promotion fees may be higher than referral fees. Sponsored or Promotion products are clearly disclosed as such on website pages. They may appear in a number of areas of the website such as in comparison tables, on hub pages and in articles. Sponsored or Promotion products may be displayed in a fixed position in a table, regardless of the product’s rating, price or other attributes. The table position of a Sponsored or Promoted product does not indicate any ranking or rating by Canstar. For more information please see How We Get Paid.
Click here for additional important notes and liability disclaimer.

Performance and Investment Allocation Differences

Fee, performance and asset allocation information shown in the table above have been determined according to the investment profile in the Canstar Superannuation Star Ratings methodology.
Some providers use different age groups for their investment profiles which may result in you being offered or being eligible for a different product to what is displayed in the table. See here for more details.
Australian Retirement Trust Super Savings’ allocation of funds for investors aged 55-99 differ from Canstar’s methodology – see details here.
The Australian Retirement Trust Super Savings (formerly Sunsuper for Life) product may appear in the table multiple times. While you will not be offered any single investment option, this is to take into account the different combinations of investment options Australian Retirement Trust may apply to your account based on your age. For more detail in relation to the Australian Retirement Trust (formerly SunSuper for Life) product please refer to the PDS issued by Australian Retirement Trust for this product.
Investment profiles applied initially may change over time in line with an investor’s age. See the provider’s Product Disclosure Statement and TMD and in particular applicable age groups for more information about how providers determine their investment profiles.

How do I find my super fund’s USI?

The USI can often be found on your annual super statement or super fund’s website. It is typically provided in the super funds’ Letter of Compliance or in its Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). A super fund may have only one USI or it may have a USI for each super product.

You can also find your fund’s USI through the Australian Taxation Office (ATO)’s USI Lookup Table.

The ATO’s table lists the following information:

Fund ABN
Fund name
SPIN
USI
Product name
Contribution restrictions.

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Do I have a USI for my self-managed super fund (SMSF)?

SMSFs do not have a USI as they are not regulated by APRA. All SMSFs require an ABN to receive employer contributions, using SuperStream.

The ABN is used as the super fund identifier to ensure data messages reach the correct fund.

To use SuperStream you will need the SMSF’s ABN, bank account details and electronic service address (ESA) to make contributions.

Compare SMSF Savings Accounts

Cover image source: PattyPhoto/Shutterstock.com

Updated from an article by Tamika Seeto

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This article was reviewed by our Deputy Editor, Canstar Amanda Horswill before it was updated, as part of our fact-checking process.

Ann Lund

Content Editor

Ann is an award-winning journalist with more than three decades of experience. Now working as a freelancer, she has worked as a reporter, presenter and producer for the BBC, a producer for the ABC, and for many years was a journalism lecturer at the Queensland University of Technology. Ann has received many awards including Most Outstanding Contribution to Journalism in the Queensland Media Awards (Clarion Awards 2021), a Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence and A Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

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