EPF sees membership, contributions rise as labour market stays resilient

Malaysia's Employees Provident Fund (EPF) witnessed a significant increase in membership and contributions during the first half of 2026, as the nation's labor market demonstrated resilience. The fund registered 441,846 new members, bringing the total membership to nearly 18.5 million. Active members, defined as those who contributed within the past year, grew to 10.9 million, improving the active-to-inactive ratio to 59:41.

Employer participation also rose, with 645,207 active employers as of June 2026, following the addition of 37,265 new employers during the quarter. The unemployment rate in Malaysia remained low at 3.0 percent in May 2026, indicating a steady labor market despite global trade and supply chain uncertainties.

EPF's total contributions increased by 8.5 percent to RM33.87 billion in the second quarter of 2026, up from RM31.21 billion in the same period last year. Voluntary contributions continued to grow, reaching RM14.15 billion, driven by the convenience of EPF's digital platforms, which enabled seamless and easy voluntary savings for members.

The use of i-Saraan increased by 15.7 percent to RM1.33 billion, while the number of Malaysian formal sector members contributing above the statutory rate through i-Topup grew by 13.9 percent year-on-year to nearly 204,450 for the first half of 2026.