WRKR completes PaidRight acquisition to expand payroll compliance offering
WRKR Ltd (ASX: WRK) has completed the WRKR PaidRight acquisition completion, finalising the purchase of 100% of PaidRight Holdings Pty Ltd on 5 February 2026. The transaction, first announced on 22 December 2025, positions the compliance technology provider to expand beyond superannuation into payroll compliance.
The company issued 90,909,091 fully paid ordinary shares to PaidRight shareholders as consideration for the acquisition. Of these, 14,776,140 shares were issued to entities related to CEO and Managing Director Trent Lund, with these holdings subject to a 12-month escrow period ending 5 February 2027.
The completion de-risks the strategic transaction, moving WRKR from announced intent to executed integration of PaidRight’s technology platform.
What PaidRight brings to the WRKR platform
PaidRight provides WRKR with a real-time pay compliance engine, a technology layer the company did not previously possess in-house. The acquisition is positioned as highly complementary to WRKR’s existing superannuation compliance platform, enabling direct employer monetisation through integrated payroll compliance moment checking and compliance tools.
Rather than a revenue bolt-on, the transaction delivers proven intellectual property that accelerates WRKR’s Phase 2 growth strategy. The combination is designed to leverage WRKR’s existing scale and reach with PaidRight’s sophisticated compliance technology.
CEO quote on strategic rationale
Trent Lund, WRKR CEO
“The acquisition of PaidRight will underpin our second compliance segment of ‘pay’, moving the Wrkr Platform beyond superannuation, continuing to progress the one-stop shop compliance vision to life. The team at PaidRight and their considerable intellectual property is a real differentiator when combined with Wrkr’s scale and reach.”
The statement reflects WRKR’s strategy to build a unified platform handling multiple employer compliance obligations, positioning payroll compliance as the second vertical alongside its established superannuation offering.
Understanding payroll compliance in Australia
Payroll compliance refers to ensuring employees are paid correctly according to awards, enterprise agreements, and Australian workplace legislation. The regulatory environment has tightened in recent years, with increased penalties for underpayment and the introduction of wage theft laws under Fair Work obligations.
Many Australian businesses have faced material remediation costs from historical payroll errors. These incidents have highlighted the complexity of Australia’s award system, where multiple rates, penalty provisions, and entitlements must be calculated accurately for each employee.
Real-time compliance checking addresses this challenge proactively. Rather than detecting errors after they occur, systems like PaidRight’s engine assess payroll calculations as they are made, flagging discrepancies before payments are processed. This approach reduces the risk of systematic underpayment and the associated financial and reputational consequences.
For employers, growing regulatory pressure creates demand for compliance technology that can navigate Australia’s complex industrial relations framework automatically.
WRKR’s expanded compliance platform strategy
The PaidRight acquisition establishes a two-segment compliance model for WRKR. The company’s existing superannuation compliance capability now sits alongside payroll compliance, both operating within a single platform architecture.
This structure aligns with WRKR’s stated “one-stop shop compliance vision,” where employers can manage multiple regulatory obligations through integrated technology rather than separate systems. The combination of WRKR’s market reach with PaidRight’s intellectual property is positioned to accelerate Phase 2 of the company’s growth strategy.
Management will provide further detail on the acquisition and its integration in an upcoming investor presentation:
- Date: Monday, 9 February 2026
- Time: 11:00 AM AEDT
- Duration: 45 minutes
- Format: Zoom webinar with Q&A
- Presenters: Trent Lund (CEO) and Karen Gilmour (CFO)
- Coverage: Acquisition details, Q2 Appendix 4C, Quarterly Report
The presentation is expected to outline integration plans and provide additional financial context for the transaction. Investors will have the opportunity to question management on implementation timelines and expected operational synergies.
With the WRKR PaidRight acquisition completion now finalised, the company transitions from transaction execution to technology integration and market rollout of its expanded compliance offering.
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