Stablecoin Rules Clarified as ASIC Defines New Crypto Guidelines
Australia's financial regulator has taken a decisive step toward formalizing the digital asset market's framework. The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) now classifies stablecoins, wrapped tokens, tokenized securities, and digital wallets as financial products under its oversight.
Service providers must secure Australian Financial Services (AFS) licenses, with an eight-month transition period to achieve compliance. The new guidelines, effective until June 30, 2026, aim to balance investor protection with innovation in the crypto sector.
ASIC Commissioner Alan Kirkland highlighted tokenization and distributed ledger technology as transformative for global finance. The regulatory clarity is designed to foster innovation while maintaining robust oversight.
The updated guidance, detailed in Information Sheet 225, clarifies which digital assets fall under existing financial product categories—eliminating ambiguity for market participants.
