Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Act 2026

Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Act 2026 is an Australian Commonwealth Act that amends the Corporations Act 2001 and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 to create a financial-services framework for digital asset platforms and tokenised custody platforms. The Act received Royal Assent on April 8, 2026 as Act No. 38 of 2026. The Act’s commencement table states that the whole Act commences on April 8, 2027, although ASIC’s implementation roadmap describes the regime as commencing in April 2027 and refers to April 9, 2027.

What Australia’s Digital Assets Framework Act covers

The Act introduces new core concepts into Australia’s financial services law. A “digital token” is defined around an electronic record capable of factual control. A “digital asset platform” generally covers a facility where an operator possesses digital tokens for or on behalf of another person. A “tokenised custody platform” generally covers a facility where an operator identifies non-money assets, creates a single digital token for each asset, and holds the underlying asset for the token holder.

AFSL treatment and platform obligations

The framework brings digital asset platforms and tokenised custody platforms into the Australian financial services licence structure when relevant financial services are provided. Licensees issuing these platforms must comply with ASIC-made asset-holding standards and transactional and settlement standards. They must also maintain adequate platform rules and comply with any ministerial prohibition restricting certain financial-product conduct through specified platforms.

Custody, settlement, and disclosure rules

• Asset-holding standards: ASIC may make standards covering safeguarding, recordkeeping, reconciliation, reporting, use of underlying assets, and supplementary services.
• Transactional and settlement standards: ASIC may make standards for acquisitions, disposals, settlements, execution models, client-instruction handling, market-making, brokerage, dealing, and related service-provider conduct.
• Platform rules: Rules must address eligibility, client obligations, settlement methods, external liquidity, counterparty and operational risk, available assets, and arrangements for deposit, redemption, and delivery of assets.
• DAP/TCP Guide: Retail clients must receive a guide that is clear, concise, and effective before the platform is issued, and outdated or misleading guides must be updated.

Exemptions and perimeter choices

The Act does not classify every digital asset as a financial product. Instead, it targets platform and custody arrangements. It includes exemptions for certain low-value digital asset platform services, including thresholds tied to no financial products being held, transaction value not exceeding $10 million over the last 12 months, a per-client entry-value cap of $5,000, and notice to ASIC. It also recognises exclusions or tailored treatment for public digital token infrastructure, custodial staking arrangements, fundraising through platforms, and certain equitable-right interests arising from holding assets through a platform.

Status and implementation timeline

As of June 5, 2026, editors should treat the Act as adopted Commonwealth legislation with future operational commencement and transition. ASIC is responsible for licensing, supervision, enforcement, and implementation consultation, including standards and guidance for digital asset platforms and tokenised custody platforms.