Australia Eases Rules to Boost Stablecoin and Wrapped Token Innovation

Australia’s securities regulator has introduced new measures that are designed to reduce hurdles for companies dealing in stablecoins and wrapped tokens. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) announced new measures on Tuesday that will allow businesses to distribute stablecoins and wrapped tokens without a special license in an effort to foster innovation and growth in the payment and digital assets sector.

The ASIC revealed that it was “granting class relief” for intermediaries engaging in the secondary distribution of certain wrapped tokens and stablecoins. Thanks to this, companies no longer need expensive and separate licenses to act as intermediaries in crypto markets. The firms can now use “omnibus accounts” with proper record-keeping and maintain transparency standards.

The new exemptions will extend the earlier stablecoin relief by removing the requirement for intermediaries to hold separate Australian Financial Services (AFS) licenses when providing services related to wrapped tokens or stablecoins.

Industry Welcomes New Exemptions

The industry leaders view this policy shift as a major step towards fostering innovation. Drew Bradford, CEO of Australian stablecoin issuer Macropod, said, “ASIC’s announcement helps level the playing field for stablecoin innovation in Australia. By giving both new and established players a clearer, more flexible framework, particularly around reserve and asset-management requirements, it removes friction and gives the sector confidence to build.”

The old licensing requirement was expensive for companies and created compliance hurdles, especially as they await broader federal digital asset reforms. Bradford stated, “This kind of measured clarity is essential for scaling real-world use cases, payments, treasury management, cross-border flows, and onchain settlement. It signals that Australia intends to be competitive globally, while still maintaining the regulatory guardrails that institutions and consumers expect.”

Head of policy and strategic partnerships at TRM Labs, Angela Ang, welcomed the new development and said, “Things are looking up for Australia, and we look forward to digital assets regulation crystallizing further in the coming year — bringing greater clarity to the sector and driving growth and innovation.”

According to RWA.xyz, total stablecoin market capitalization is at a record high of just over $300 billion. An increase of 48% has been recorded since the beginning of this year, with Tether remaining the dominant issuer with 63% market share.