Australia enacts Digital Asset Framework, bringing crypto exchanges and custodians under financial services licensing

Australia’s Parliament passed the Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025 — also reported as the Australia Digital Asset Framework Act — on April 1, 2026, establishing a formal legal framework for digital tokens and the platforms that handle them ^{[1] [2]}.

Under the new law, crypto exchanges and tokenized custody providers must obtain Australian financial services licences; reports state firms will have a six-month window to secure licences under the framework ^{[3] [1]}.

The act applies tailored financial rules to digital-asset businesses, grants regulators stronger supervisory powers over platforms, and has been framed by some outlets as creating commercial opportunities for the industry ^{[2] [4] [3]}.

As the law takes effect, affected platforms will need to pursue licensing and comply with regulator guidance; the practical impact will depend on the specific licensing conditions and supervisory approach set by Australian authorities ^{[3] [2]}.