What happened
The Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025 was enacted into law, extending Australia's Australian Financial Services Licence regime to digital asset and tokenised custody platforms. The mandatory licensing framework commences on 9 April 2027. Crypto assets themselves remain legal property under Australian law, with existing AUSTRAC registration rules applying in the interim.
Why it matters here
Institutional and retail crypto investors will gain greater regulatory oversight and investor protections, reducing platform failure risks. However, compliance costs could push smaller or offshore platforms out of the local market. Additionally, investors should remember that the 50% capital gains tax discount for assets held over 12 months will be replaced by new tax rules from July 2027.
What to watch
ASIC guidance notes released ahead of the 9 April 2027 commencement date detailing capital adequacy and custody compliance standards for local platforms.
Source
collectivefamilylaw.com.au