AAVE is a large player in the crypto DeFi space, enabling lending, borrowing and swapping of crypto tokens, usually on Ethereum. It has become well known for a liquidity pool model and enabling flash loans (which enable a borrower to borrow and repay crypto within the same transaction). Users can access the Aave protocol either through direct smart contract interactions or through open source front ends, the most popular of which is operated by Aave Labs. This week, an as-y

On the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Australian Government introduced new sanctions targeting 180 individuals, entities and vessels linked to Russia including a number of cryptocurrency related businesses . For the first time, Australia is targeting cryptocurrency entities that enable cross-border payments to sustain Russia’s military operations. The announcement makes clear that businesses using cryptocurrency to circumvent sanctions are now potential enfo

The Australian Digital Finance Cooperative Research Centre (DFCRC) has released a 166-page report outlining the possible productivity gains and economic windfall available to Australia through innovation in digital finance. The report, informed by both the DFCRC's research and industry consultation, paints a simple picture: Australia is sitting on a possible AUD $24 billion per year opportunity if it embraces digital finance innovation at scale. The report states that whils

The Australian Department of Home Affairs and AUSTRAC have released the widely anticipated exposure draft of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Transitional Rules 2026   ( Transitional Rules ). The Transitional Rules are designed to guide industry through the shift to Australia's modernised AML/CTF regime, which introduces a range of new designated services for virtual assets (as well as so-called tranche 2 entities), uplifted governance and compliance

The High Court of Australia has granted special leave  to rule on whether bitcoin is capable of being property. The case involves a dispute between Adam Poulton and Jeff Conrad and concerns Conrad’s payment to Poulton to invest $10,000 in Bitcoin on his behalf. This development follows the Full Court of the Supreme Court of Tasmania decision , which endorsed, in obiter, a third category of property for crypto assets (beyond possession and choses in action) and suggested that

Following industry consultation in late 2025 , ASIC released a new regulatory instrument providing tailored licensing relief for certain stablecoins and wrapped tokens.   ASIC Corporations (Stablecoin and Wrapped Token Relief) Instrument 2025/867 ( Relief Instrument ) provides licensing and disclosure exemptions to distributors of eligible stablecoins and eligible wrapped tokens. ‘Eligible stablecoins’ must the satisfy the following core criteria, among others: the stablecoi

On 27 January 2026, the long‑running litigation concerning the Qoin Wallet product reached its final chapter. The Federal Court handed down its penalty decision in Australian Securities and Investments Commission v BPS Financial Pty Ltd (Penalty) [2026] FCA 18 , imposing $14 million in civil penalties, a 10-year injunction restraining unlicensed financial services activity and corrective advertising orders against BPS Financial Pty Ltd ( BPS ). In the wake of the judgment, th

The promise of the fintech sector as an engine of economic growth has drawn increasing attention from the Australian Government. In December 2025, Treasury released a consultation paper in connection with its independent review of the enhanced regulatory sandbox ( ERS ) . The Government is seeking views on: the extent to which Australia's regulatory, policy and economic settings foster financial innovation; the effectiveness of the current ERS design and regulatory settings;

From 20 January, Vietnam has commenced taking applications for licensing for crypto exchanges, but the requirements for licensing have proven eye watering and designed to lock out all but the largest existing traditional operators. Among the requirements are: a minimum capital of approximately US $380 million; ownership stipulations including at least 65% institutional holdings; and at least 35% ownership from two institutional investors who are involved in banking and finan