Coinbase Australia has received an Australian Financial Services License (AFSL) from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), enabling it to operate under Australia’s financial services regulatory framework.

The license comes ahead of proposed legislation that will require digital asset exchanges to hold an AFSL.

It provides the regulatory basis for Coinbase Australia to expand its product offering. This includes crypto and equity perpetuals.

The company intends to roll out futures and options in due course.

Coinbase first entered the Australian market in 2016. In 2022, it established Coinbase Australia as a local entity.

The entity was registered with AUSTRAC and launched a local platform supporting PayID, advanced retail trading, and continuous customer support.

The company has also engaged with industry and academic partners, including RMIT’s Blockchain Innovation Hub, and participated in policy discussions on digital asset regulation.

Under the AFSL, Coinbase Australia will be subject to requirements relating to conduct, disclosure, governance, and consumer protection.

These requirements align with the standards that traditional financial services providers follow.

Adam Judd, Chief Operating Officer of Coinbase Australia, will oversee the license.

He previously held a senior role at CommSec, managing complex product lines during a period of regulatory change, and earlier spent more than a decade at ASIC in regulatory and market structure roles.

The development coincides with the proposed Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025, which aims to bring digital asset platforms within the financial services licensing regime.

Coinbase stated it will continue to engage with regulators and policymakers as the framework evolves.

Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Australia, based on image by eshaabdulqayyum1081 via Freepik