Exchange Ranking
Top Exchanges
24h Volume Ranking
Popularity Ranking
Exchange BTC Balance
Proof of Reserves
Decentralized Exchanges
Funding Rate
Funding Heatmap
Liquidation Data
Max Pain
Long/Short Ratio
Whale L/S Ratio
Binance/Okex/Huobi L/S
Bitfinex Margin L/S
ETF Tracker
Solana ETF
XRP ETF
Hong Kong ETF
Bitcoin Treasuries
Crypto Reversal
Ethereum Reserves
HyperLiquid Wallet Analysis
Hyperliquid Whale Watch
Large Transactions
On-chain Movement
Bitcoin ROI
Stablecoin Market Cap
Options Analysis
News
Articles
Economic Calendar
Features
Wallet
Contract Calculator
Security
Collections
Watchlist
FollowingUnauthorized cryptocurrency companies must apply for licenses before September 30, 2026
Cryptocurrency companies operating in Australia but not properly authorized must apply for financial services licenses before September 30, 2026, otherwise they will face civil and criminal penalties. The Australia Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) issued the warning on September 2, 2026 and called it an ultimatum to companies that have been relying on temporary enforcement exemptions.
Companies requiring an Australia Financial Services (AFS) licence must submit an application before the deadline or request changes to existing licences. Companies that need a market license or clearing and settlement license require additional steps: ASIC must be notified and pre-application meetings completed by September 30.
Penalty begins on October 1
Starting on October 1, 2026, any company that requires authorization but fails to meet the conditions of ASIC's no-action stance will face the risk of violating the Financial Services Act. Regulators said penalties could include fines of up to 10 percent of annual turnover, as well as criminal charges.
ASIC first updated its digital asset guidelines in October 2025, and has since received more than 45 license applications related to digital assets. As of June 25, 2026, the number is approximately 30, when regulators extended the exemption window from June 30 to September 30.
The June extension also expanded the scope of the temporary exemption to include cryptocurrency companies operating as authorized representatives of licensed companies, or companies operating through certain intermediary arrangements. The expanded coverage allows more companies to maintain compliance while preparing applications.
Not related to 2027 regulatory reform
The September 30 deadline applies only to companies relying on ASIC's current no-action stance and is not related to Australia's broader digital asset framework that will take effect on April 9, 2027. The framework will impose broader obligations on the cryptocurrency industry, but companies will still need to meet a more recent license deadline before they can continue to operate legally.
Less than four weeks before the deadline, the message from ASIC is that companies that have not yet submitted applications are running out of time. Regulators did not say they would extend the exemption further beyond September 30.
