Australia Implements First-Ever Digital Asset Law

Australia has made significant strides in regulating the digital assets market with the passage of its first dedicated law. The Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025 has cleared both houses of Parliament, bringing crypto exchanges and tokenized custody providers under the country's financial services licensing regime.

The new legislation amends existing cornerstone laws to create a licensing pathway for defined categories of 'digital asset platforms' and 'tokenised custody platforms'. This move is seen as Canberra's most concrete step yet towards a bespoke rule-book for crypto platforms operating domestically.

Supporters of the bill have framed it around familiar goals: consumer protection, market integrity, and clearer regulatory expectations for firms that have operated in a patchwork of guidance and enforcement. The framework emphasizes licensing requirements akin to other financial services businesses, rather than a separate, lighter-touch regime.