Future Super’s new investment options: the 101

Written by:

Future Super

5 June 2025

Future Super has a new, expanded investment menu. Across all the investment options, you can invest for a future worth retiring into and keep money out of industries considered harmful like fossil fuels, tobacco, weapons and gambling.

The new investment options are designed to see you through your working life and guide you into retirement. They offer different levels of risk, designed so that you can pick and choose what works for you at different life stages while remaining climate conscious.

Option

The highlights

Asset allocation

Sustainable High Growth

For bold investors looking to maximise returns over the long-term with a high risk strategy. This is the highest growth option, with a target of 95% growth assets.

95% growth 5% defensive

Sustainable Growth*

For the long-term investor who wants to grow their super without pushing it to the max risk-wise. This option ramps up the defensive assets compared to Sustainable High Growth.

85% growth 15% defensive

Sustainable Balanced Growth*

For those who want to strike a balance between risk and returns, and stay true to their values while investing for their future. The 70/30 split for growth vs defensive assets is a classic balanced portfolio, common in superannuation.

70% growth 30% defensive

Sustainable Moderate*

For those who want to step into retirement without compromising their values, while seeking stability and peace of mind. There’s less potential for growth in this option, as a target of 60% of the portfolio is invested in defensive assets. It might suit someone who is in a life stage where they really can't afford to see investment losses and are prioritising keeping their super stable.

40% growth 60% defensive

Sustainable Alternatives Growth

For those who want to put their money where it matters, investing in non-traditional assets that drive real change for the planet. In the world of investments, alternatives refer to things like infrastructure, property and private equity or venture capital investments. The alternative investments include renewable energy assets, social and affordable housing funds and carbon farming projects to name a few.

85% growth 15% defensive

*These options are also available to all pension members. If you’re nearing or in retirement and would like help deciding which option is right for you, please reach out to the coaching team. They would love to help!

Performance history

All these options are brand new, so data is still being gathered. Members will be updated with performance data as soon as it’s available, which will be since inception to 30 June 2025 (available in July).

Performance data builds over time as the options are in place. In the meantime, you can review the investment objectives, strategies, and benchmarks in the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) to get an understanding of how they are expected to perform, remembering that past performance is not necessarily a reliable indicator of future performance.

Understanding risk

You’ll notice each option has a different asset allocation split between defensive and growth assets.

Growth assets are things like shares traded on stock exchanges – they have lots of potential to gain value but also have potential downsides. Stock markets go up, but they also go down. So, growth assets are riskier than defensive assets.

Defensive assets are things like cash and bonds. There’s a smaller chance of losing your principal investment in these asset classes. But there’s also a lower limit to how much money you can make – think about the cash in a bank account earning interest as an example. You know roughly how much interest you’re going to earn, the rate might move a little higher or lower, but there isn’t the potential for making gains (or losses) beyond that.

Investors have to take on some risk to make money.

Splitting options

In your member portal you can choose a new investment option any time, you can also choose a mix of two or more options and allocate a percentage of your account to each.

You may want to take the asset allocation split between defensive and growth into consideration if you decide to split your super across a couple of options – some people prefer not to have their whole account invested in higher risk options.

If you need help with this kind of thing, don’t hesitate to reach out to our coaching team! They love this stuff.

What’s inside the options?

Every option contains a mix of asset classes, including:

Australian equities: Shares traded on the ASX. One example is Brambles, a supply chain logistics company that’s part of the circular economy. They keep our supermarket shelves stocked and are improving the way things are done by reusing things like pallets and containers and reducing waste.
International equities: This is where big names like Apple and Netflix come in. One company in the international equities portfolio is Vestas – they make recyclable wind turbine blades and they’re working on a sustainable aviation fuel.
Cash: We don’t have to tell you what this is! In an investment portfolio cash plays a couple of roles – it's nice and stable, earning interest like you might in a bank account, and it also gives a portfolio liquidity. Liquidity means you have money handy to invest when opportunities arise, and you don’t have to sell anything first.
Bonds: Bonds are debt investments; they’re issued by companies or governments to raise capital. Investors lend the principal amount on the agreement they’ll get that initial investment back plus regular interest payments.
Alternatives: This includes things like infrastructure and property. Alternatives also present an opportunity to generate positive social or environmental impacts alongside financial returns. For example, Future Super invests in a number of renewable energy assets and in funds that make social and affordable housing projects possible.

See more information on investment options, including a fee breakdown. Want more information or help deciding which option is right for you? Chat to one of our financial coaches.

See ethical investing for information about our screening and investment processes.

All information is general in nature and does not take account of your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before deciding whether a particular product is appropriate for you, please read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement including any incorporated information, Target Market Determination and Financial Services Guide available at futuresuper.com.au, and consider speaking with a financial adviser.