Australia’s Move Towards Digital Asset Regulation

The Australian Federal Government is taking significant steps towards regulating the digital asset landscape. In an effort to align with international standards and enhance consumer protection while promoting technological innovation, the government has unveiled a set of policy proposals aimed at bringing digital asset platforms under the umbrella of existing financial regulations. Here’s an overview of the key points.

Aim: Bringing Uniformity to Digital Asset Regulation

The core objective of this regulatory initiative is to regulate entities that provide access to digital assets. This encompasses intermediaries like digital asset exchanges, service providers, asset issuers, and financial product advisers. By implementing robust regulations, the Australian government aims to foster trust and safeguard the interests of digital asset users.

Learning from Past Incidents

The need for comprehensive regulation is emphasized by past incidents, including the collapse of the FTX exchange, which adversely impacted 50,000 Australian consumers. The Treasury identified various issues leading to such incidents, including ineffective management practices, inadequate governance structures, fraudulent activities, poor resilience, and conflicts of interest. The proposed regulations intend to address these concerns.

Minimum Standards and Licensing Changes

Drawing from existing financial regulations, the Treasury is laying the foundation for setting minimum standards for digital asset facilities. These standards would encompass the secure holding of assets, intermediation of platform entitlements, and transactional functions. Any changes to licenses would apply to Australian-based businesses, regardless of whether they exclusively serve the local market or act as brokers for international clients.

Exemptions for Smaller Entities

The regulatory framework will consider exemptions for entities with total assets less than AU$5 million and individual clients with entitlement values below AU$1,500. These exemptions aim to minimize the regulatory burden on smaller players in the digital asset space.

Defining Digital Tokens

The Treasury defines digital tokens as assets that can be freely traded on third-party marketplaces. Notably, it excludes examples like event tickets and gift cards, focusing primarily on assets with intrinsic value. However, it acknowledges the challenges in differentiating token types and determining the concept of “ownership” in the digital world.

An “Activities-Based Approach”

The proposed framework introduces a new financial product category called “digital asset facility.” It aims to align digital asset exchanges with existing Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) laws. This approach focuses on regulating the intermediaries’ services rather than the inherent features of digital tokens themselves. It strives to strike a balance between freedom for token issuers and protection for token holders.

Extending Beyond Financialization

Digital tokens are not confined to the financial sector. They have applications across various industries, such as social media, gaming, healthcare, media, entertainment, fitness, and lifestyle. The policy framework intends to clarify the definition of a digital asset “holder” and introduces the concept of “factual control” to address complexities arising from programmable tokens.

Stablecoins, Merchants, and Data Providers

The proposals exclude “stablecoin” providers, merchants accepting tokens as payment, and data providers publishing information on public databases, such as blockchains. These activities are already subject to existing laws specific to their respective industries.

Seeking Public and Industry Feedback

As a crucial step in the regulatory process, the Treasury is inviting feedback from the public and industry experts. The deadline for written submissions is set for December 1, 2023. It’s important to note that the policy proposals represent the government’s intentions and are not draft laws. If new legislation emerges as a result, a 12-month transition period will allow the digital asset industry to adapt and comply with the changes.