Australia

Developing Partly Confirmed Verified August 24, 2026

Crypto ownership and trading are permitted. Exchanges and other virtual-asset service providers face AUSTRAC AML/CTF registration, while ASIC rules apply when a product or service is a financial product.

AUSTRAC / Australian Securities and Investments Commission

Total Laws (incl. applicable EU-wide)

Effective Laws

At a Glance

Is holding crypto allowed?

Allowed

Is crypto trading allowed?

Regulated

Is P2P trading allowed?

Allowed

Are crypto payments allowed?

Allowed

Is crypto legal tender?

Is mining allowed?

Allowed

Is staking allowed?

Regulated

Is DeFi participation allowed?

Regulated

Are stablecoins allowed or regulated?

Regulated

Activity Status Matrix

Activity	Status	Details
Holding Crypto	Allowed	Is holding crypto allowed?
Crypto Trading	Regulated	Is crypto trading allowed?
P2P Trading	Allowed	Is P2P trading allowed?
Crypto Payments	Allowed	Are crypto payments allowed?
Legal Tender	No	Is crypto legal tender?
Mining	Allowed	Is mining allowed?
Staking	Regulated	Is staking allowed?
DeFi	Regulated	Is DeFi participation allowed?
Stablecoins	Regulated	Are stablecoins allowed or regulated?
NFTs	Regulated	Are NFTs allowed or regulated?
Token Launches	Regulated	Are token launches allowed?
Crypto Advertising	Regulated	Is crypto advertising allowed?
Banking Access	Regulated	Do crypto businesses have banking access?

Regulation Overview

Australia permits individuals to own, trade, transfer, mine and use crypto assets. The regulatory treatment is activity- and product-based. AUSTRAC administers AML/CTF registration and supervision for virtual-asset service providers, while ASIC administers financial-services, markets and consumer-protection laws where a crypto asset, platform or arrangement is a financial product or financial service. Australia expanded and modernised its AML/CTF perimeter, including a transition from the digital-currency-exchange terminology toward VASPs. Crypto is not Australian legal tender and consumers do not receive the same protections as bank deposits.

Tax Information

Crypto transactions can trigger capital gains tax or ordinary income treatment. GST treatment depends on the transaction and whether an enterprise is carrying on a taxable activity.

Individual Tax Treatment

An investor generally applies CGT on disposal, including sale, swap, gifting or using crypto to acquire goods or services. A trader or business may instead account for proceeds as ordinary income. Personal-use-asset treatment is narrow and fact dependent.

Business Tax Treatment

Businesses generally recognise ordinary income and deductions under normal income-tax rules. Crypto received for goods or services is valued in Australian dollars. Mining, staking and dealing revenue may be assessable business income depending on facts.

Australian Taxation Office

Business & Licensing

Virtual-asset service providers must register with AUSTRAC where their services fall within the AML/CTF perimeter. An Australian financial services or market licence may also be required where the crypto asset or service is a financial product or regulated financial service.

AML / KYC Requirements

Registered VASPs must implement AML/CTF controls, customer due diligence, transaction monitoring, recordkeeping and regulatory reporting. Obligations depend on the designated service offered.

Primary Regulator

AUSTRAC / Australian Securities and Investments Commission

austrac.gov.au

Crypto Laws & Regulations in Australia

Acteffective

Australia VASP AML/CTF Regime

AML/CTF virtual asset service provider registration regime

Published: December 10, 2024Effective: March 31, 2026Ref: AML/CTF Act and reforms

Expands and modernises AML/CTF coverage for virtual-asset service providers.

AML/KYCLicensingExchanges

Official Source

Guidancecurrent_guidance

Australia Digital Assets Financial Product Guidance

ASIC Information Sheet 225 – Digital assets: financial products and services

Published: March 22, 2021Effective: October 29, 2025Ref: INFO 225

Explains when digital assets and related services fall within financial-services and markets law.

SecuritiesLicensingToken Issuance

Official Source

Amendmentpartially_effective

Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Amendment Act 2024

Ref: Act No. 110 of 2024

Australia's AML/CTF Amendment Act 2024 modernises the AML/CTF framework and expands the covered services perimeter to additional virtual-asset activities. Major Tranche 2 changes, including new reporting-entity categories, commenced in 2026. Royal Assent was granted on 10 December 2024; commencement is staged by schedule and must not be represented by a single effective date.

AML/KYCExchangesLicensing

Official Source