ASIC issued a press release this week emphasising that digital asset businesses should move quickly to determine whether they are required to apply for an Australian financial services licence (AFSL), or a variation to an existing AFSL before ASIC’s no-action position expires on 30 June 2026. ASIC’s no‑action relief is a transitional position under which ASIC has indicated it does not intend to take enforcement action in respect of certain unlicensed financial services involv

Following the commencement of Australia’s reformed financial market infrastructure (FMI) regime late last year under the Treasury Laws Amendment (Financial Market Infrastructure and Other Measures) Act 2024 (Cth), ASIC has released Consultation Paper 50 (CS 50). CS 50 proposes targeted updates to ASIC’s regulatory guidance to give practical effect to the new framework and ASIC’s expanded powers. What guidance is changing? ASIC is proposing updates to three cornerstone Regulat

The Australian Senate has today approved the Corporation Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025 ( the Bill ) which will bring cryptocurrency exchanges and custodians within the Australian financial service licensing framework requiring them to meet the same standards of transparency, integrity and consumer protection that apply to all financial services businesses. For an industry that has navigated uncertainty without clear regulatory footing for years, the passing

On the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Australian Government introduced new sanctions targeting 180 individuals, entities and vessels linked to Russia including a number of cryptocurrency related businesses . For the first time, Australia is targeting cryptocurrency entities that enable cross-border payments to sustain Russia’s military operations. The announcement makes clear that businesses using cryptocurrency to circumvent sanctions are now potential enfo