Australia Introduces Comprehensive Digital-Assets Framework for Crypto Exchanges

Australia has taken a significant step towards regulating its cryptocurrency market by introducing a comprehensive digital-assets framework.

The Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025 requires centralized exchanges and tokenized custody platforms to obtain an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) within 18 months, subjecting them to ASIC's full oversight on custody, disclosure, governance, and risk management.

The new framework carves out two fresh classes of regulated firms: DigitalAssetPlatforms (DAPs) and tokenized custody platforms (TCPs), both subject to the same fundamental rulebook that governs brokers and asset managers.