Australian regulator extends no-action period for crypto licensing
Australia’s securities regulator has extended its no-action relief for digital asset firms by three months, giving them until Sept. 30 to apply for required licenses under updated guidance. The extension covers businesses seeking Australian Financial Services licenses and, in some cases, market or clearing and settlement authorizations. ASIC also widened the relief to include firms using authorized representatives or intermediary arrangements with licensed companies. ASIC said about 30 license applications have been submitted since it updated its digital asset guidance in October 2025. The guidance makes clear that many crypto products may already fall under existing financial services law, based on Australia’s broad, technology-neutral definitions of financial products. That interpretation was reinforced by the High Court’s Block Earner decision. The relief is separate from Australia’s Digital Asset Framework, passed in April and due to start in 2027, which will add new licensing requirements for digital asset and custody platforms.
