Australia
ASIC Warns of "Lost Generation" Risk if Australia Falls Behind on Fintech and AI
- Chairman Joe Longo says the regulator wants to be a backer rather than a blocker.
- In the meantime, around half the market declined to take part in the watchdog's recent tokenization survey.
Thursday, 21/05/2026 | 12:00 GMT by
Damian Chmiel
ASIC Cuts 45,000 Paper Filings a Year as Regulatory Simplification Push Targets 90% Digital by June
- The market watchdog says email lodgement now covers 88 forms, a 380% jump on the prior baseline.
- Industry submissions widened breach-reporting relief and halved internal dispute reports for small banks.
Tuesday, 19/05/2026 | 05:34 GMT by
Damian Chmiel
Capital.com Takes Multi-Year Title Role as Australian Golf Open Is Rebranded
- Golf Australia partners the broker’s local subsidiary, linking the Australian Open and GA Handicap system.
- Earlier this year, the broker signed Vladimiros Tziortzis sponsorship for 2026 NASCAR Euro Series.
Friday, 15/05/2026 | 09:40 GMT by
Tareq Sikder
AUSTRAC Names AI and Crypto as New Laundering Layers Seven Weeks Before 80,000 New Firms Enter Regime
- Three risk updates flag AI-enabled identity fraud, virtual assets and trade-based laundering as fast-moving threats.
- The agency disclosed that North Korea-linked actors stole more than $2 billion in crypto from Bybit in 2025.
Wednesday, 13/05/2026 | 16:00 GMT by
Damian Chmiel
300% Returns Promise Ends in More Than 5 Years' Prison for Australian Adviser
- Ashley Arandez received 5 years and 6 months after pleading guilty to dishonest conduct and unlicensed financial services.
- The sentencing lands as ASIC escalates its push against scams targeting Australia's A$4 trillion superannuation system.
Tuesday, 12/05/2026 | 07:47 GMT by
Damian Chmiel
After 15-Month Investigation, Sydney Darknet Probe Leads to Seizure of 52 Bitcoin
- The cybercrime unit seized BTC worth 5.7M Australian dollars during a darknet investigation.
- Police called it a major crypto seizure linked to darknet activity, following a similar 2021 case.
Friday, 08/05/2026 | 15:42 GMT by
Tareq Sikder
"Watchdogs Need to Both Bark and Bite": Joe Longo Defends ASIC's Aggressive Tilt in His Final Speech
- The outgoing Chairman pushed for a ban on unlicensed superannuation communications, citing organized fraud against retirement savers.
- Longo hands the role to deputy Sarah Court next month after a tenure that doubled investigations and quadrupled penalty totals.
Thursday, 07/05/2026 | 05:41 GMT by
Damian Chmiel
ASIC Eyes Five-Year Extension of AFS Licensing Relief as October Deadline Looms
- The regulator is asking brokers, fund managers and advisers for feedback on remaking two relief instruments before they expire.
- The proposal lands as Australia's AFS license regime, the framework underpinning the country's CFD industry, faces a stack of fresh deadlines.
Tuesday, 05/05/2026 | 05:34 GMT by
Damian Chmiel
Australia's Digital Asset License Deadline Nears with 10% Turnover Penalty Looming
- ASIC has warned that its no-action position for unlicensed digital asset providers expires on June 30, 2026.
- Firms missing the cutoff risk civil and criminal penalties under Australia's financial services laws.
Monday, 04/05/2026 | 05:40 GMT by
Damian Chmiel
Four APAC Regulators Set Overlapping Crypto Deadlines in Q2 2026
- Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, and South Korea are simultaneously overhauling digital asset frameworks between April and June.
- A new FM Intelligence analysis maps the licensing, reclassification, and operational mandates converging across the region in a single quarter.
Thursday, 09/04/2026 | 06:49 GMT by
Damian Chmiel
Coinbase Secures Australian License to Offer Equity Perpetuals and Derivatives
- Local hiring increases as Coinbase builds legal, compliance, marketing, and operations teams.
- Around 33% of Australians now hold cryptocurrency, growing use for payments observed.
Wednesday, 08/04/2026 | 12:52 GMT by
Tareq Sikder
Australia and New Zealand Sound Alarm on AI-Powered Investment Scams as Takedowns Hit Record Pace
- ASIC removed nearly 12,000 scam websites in 2025, while New Zealand's FMA flagged 190 fake trading platforms in March.
- Deepfake videos and fabricated news articles featuring politicians and bank CEOs are driving a new wave of fraud across the Asia-Pacific.
Wednesday, 08/04/2026 | 05:38 GMT by
Damian Chmiel
Ripple Seeks Australian License as It Expands Regulatory Footprint
- Ripple plans to obtain an Australian financial license through the acquisition of BC Payments Australia.
- Industry observers say the move reflects growing demand for regulated blockchain payment infrastructure in APAC.
Wednesday, 11/03/2026 | 09:23 GMT by
Tanya Chepkova
Revolut Hits 1 Million Users in Australia, Plans $400M Investment
- The London-based fintech joins Up and Ubank in the million-customer club six years after market entry.
- Revolut claims it has saved Australians over $250 million in foreign exchange fees compared to traditional banks since 2020.
Monday, 09/02/2026 | 10:52 GMT by
Damian Chmiel
Australia Orders Compliance Audit of $8 Billion Airwallex Platform
- The Australian watchdog orders an external review of the payment platform's anti-money laundering controls.
- The enforcement action comes just one day after the company announced its South Korean market entry.
Thursday, 22/01/2026 | 07:16 GMT by
Damian Chmiel
eToro Dominates Australia’s CFD Market – Where Trader Loyalty Rarely Survives a Year
- ASIC revealed that 119,300 clients traded CFDs per quarter in fiscal year 2024, a 76 per cent drop from before leverage restrictions were imposed in March 2021.
- Eighty-four per cent of options CFD traders lost money, but the regulator is unsure who is fit to trade these products.
Wednesday, 21/01/2026 | 08:30 GMT by
Arnab Shome
Aussie CFD Traders Got About $27 Million in Refunds After Regulatory Intervention
- ASIC’s action came after it found that more than half of local CFD issuers were offering “margin discounts” and breaching other mandatory obligations.
- Aussie retail CFD traders lost over AU$458 million (US$308.3 million) in 2024.
Tuesday, 20/01/2026 | 04:53 GMT by
Arnab Shome
After Two Years Without Banks, Australian Traders Can Move Fiat on Binance Again
- A survey showed 58% wanted unrestricted deposits, 22% switched banks to buy crypto more easily.
- Cuscal previously cut support, citing fraud prevention and compliance requirements, leaving card or crypto options.
Monday, 19/01/2026 | 06:57 GMT by
Tareq Sikder
Aussie Regulator Ramps Up Pump-and-Dump Scheme Warning after Conviction of Four
- Four individuals were running pump-and-dump schemes through Telegram groups.
- Regulators from Australia, Asia, Europe and North America recently discussed the threat posed by such market manipulation.
Monday, 22/12/2025 | 05:40 GMT by
Arnab Shome
ASX Faces $150M Capital Charge After Scathing Inquiry Finds Years of Neglect
- Australia's stock exchange operator must overhaul its governance and raise additional capital following a damning inquiry.
- The reforms include independent boards for clearing units to address “serious shortcomings” in risk management and culture.
Monday, 15/12/2025 | 07:21 GMT by
Damian Chmiel
After CME, ASX Outage Exposes Exchange Flaws: Brings More Worries for the Aussie Operator
- Although the Australian exchange is now operational, trading of companies with price-sensitive announcements is suspended.
- The exchange operator is already facing investigation for its operational and risk management failures.
Monday, 01/12/2025 | 07:09 GMT by
Arnab Shome
CFD Educator Learn to Trade’s Compliance Failure Pushes Aussie Regulator to Take Action
- Learn to Trade allegedly failed to submit its financial statements for two consecutive years on time, and also did not inform the regulator about the new auditor appointment.
- ASIC now wants an independent compliance consultant to review the company’s “procedures and frameworks.”
Tuesday, 25/11/2025 | 05:26 GMT by
Arnab Shome
ASIC Makes “Reporting Misconduct” a Priority: An Alarm for CFD Brokers?
- “Financial reporting misconduct” is among the ten priorities for the regulator in 2026.
- “We’re doing more investigations, taking more matters to court, and securing record penalties,” says ASIC’s Deputy Chair.
Thursday, 13/11/2025 | 05:34 GMT by
Arnab Shome
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