Australia Digital Assets Framework Act: Platform Licensing and the 2027 Transition
Australias digital-asset regulatory framework changed materially in 2026, but the most important new platform rules are not yet fully operational. The Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Act 2026, Act No. 38 of 2026, received Royal Assent on April 8, 2026. It creates a new financial-services framework for digital asset platforms (DAPs) and tokenised custody platforms (TCPs) under the Corporations Act. The reform is significant because it regulates the platform arrangement itself rather than simply trying to classify every crypto token as a traditional financial product. But enactment should not be confused with commencement. ASICs current implementation roadmap says the new DAP/TCP framework will commence in April 2027, followed by a licensing transition. At the same time, Australias existing financial-services laws already apply where a digital-asset product or service falls within existing financial-product definitions. That creates two parallel questions for businesses in 2026: What law applies to my product today? and: What additional DAP or TCP obligations will apply when the new framework commences? For users, the same distinction matters when an exchange says it is “preparing for Australias new crypto licence.” Preparation for a future regime does not establish that every service it provides today is already properly authorised.The Act is law, but the new framework starts in 2027 The









