Digital assets and cryptocurrency are now formally part of Australia's basic financial regulatory framework.
The regulations between Treasury, AUSTRAC, and ASIC are now clear, and the timeframes are actual.
🔍 What is going on?
According to ASIC, a number of cryptocurrency platforms and goods may already be considered financial products under current legislation, including but not limited to:
- Stablecoins
- Wrapped tokens and tokenized assets
- Custodial wallets
- Yield-style cryptocurrency items
- Platforms for cryptocurrency trading and brokerage
AFSL compliance becomes crucial once ASIC's temporary no-action transition period ends on June 30, 2026.
AFSL consequences
Activities related to cryptocurrency increasingly correspond to:
- Non-cash payment methods
- Managed investment plans and securities
- Services for custody and depository
- Distributing and trading financial goods
Starting on March 31, 2026, AUSTRAC will extend its AML/CTF regulation beyond "digital currency exchanges" to include full Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs), encompassing:
- Fiat-to-crypto exchange
- Cryptocurrency Exchange
- Services for custody and wallets
- Transfers made on clients' behalf
- Support for token issuance and sales
Operating without an AUSTRAC VASP registration will be forbidden as of March 31, 2026.
What comes next? Treasury's TCP and DAP framework
The government is launching:
DAPs, or digital asset platforms — cryptocurrency exchanges and middlemen.
Platforms for Tokenized Custody (TCPs) — regulated custody of digital assets
This indicates that cryptocurrency will be governed as financial market infrastructure rather than as experimental technology.
Important dates
🗓 AUSTRAC AML/CTF expansion, March 31, 2026
🗓 ASIC no-action relief expires on June 30, 2026
The bottom line
Function, possession, and control—not labels—now come before regulation.
Regulatory alignment is now required if your company deals with exchange, custody, settlement, issuance, or investment-style crypto services.
At Equilex, we help fintech and cryptocurrency companies with:
- Mapping of AFSL licensing and authorization
- AML/CTF upgrade and AUSTRAC registration
- The regulatory structure of DAP and TCP
- Planning for the 2026 transition and compliance
To discuss your structure, contact us via contact@canadian-msb.com or WhatsApp +44 7350 387544.
