Catenaa, Monday, September 22, 2025- Australia’s Securities and Investment Commission announced Thursday a class exemption allowing licensed intermediaries to distribute stablecoins without additional regulatory approvals, the first such measure in the country’s crypto oversight.
The Stablecoin Distribution Exemption Instrument permits entities such as exchanges, brokers and trading platforms to handle fiat-pegged tokens without seeking separate market or clearing licences.
The relief will take effect once registered on the Federal Register of Legislation and is set to expire June 1, 2028.
The exemption lowers interim hurdles for intermediaries of stablecoins issued under Australian Financial Services licences.
Distributors must still provide issuers’ Product Disclosure Statements to retail clients to ensure consumer safeguards remain intact.
ASIC named Catena Digital Pty Ltd and its AUDMA stablecoin as the initial covered issuer and asset. Officials noted the exemption may extend to other issuers as more stablecoins gain AFS licences.
The policy is intended as a bridge to forthcoming national legislation. In March, the government outlined a dual-track regime for digital asset platforms and payment stablecoins, which clarified that businesses will not require financial markets licences to distribute certain tokens.
