Overview
- Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Financial Services Minister Daniel Mulino introduced the Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025, with the second reading moved the same day.
- The bill creates two regulated product categories—digital asset platforms and tokenized custody platforms—and requires affected businesses to hold an Australian Financial Services Licence under ASIC oversight.
- Licensed platforms must meet custody and settlement standards, provide clear disclosures and governance, and act efficiently, honestly and fairly, with penalties for failing to protect client assets.
- Small, low-risk operators are exempt if they hold under A$5,000 per customer and process less than A$10 million in annual transactions.
- Treasury points to up to A$24 billion a year in productivity gains from digital finance, and reporting indicates larger platforms could have an 18-month transition to full compliance.