Introduction: September 2025 – A Turning Point

On 18 September 2025, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) made history by announcing class relief for intermediaries distributing Australian-issued stablecoins under an AFS licence.

This first-of-its-kind exemption means that intermediaries — brokers, exchanges, payment platforms, even app developers — no longer need to obtain multiple separate licences to handle secondary distribution of compliant stablecoins.

Instead, the responsibility rests primarily with the issuer (who must hold an AFS licence), while intermediaries gain freedom to innovate. Consumers, meanwhile, still enjoy safeguards through product disclosure and oversight.

This is a game-changer. It lowers barriers, builds trust, and accelerates mainstream adoption of stablecoins in Australia.

👉 Want to launch a stablecoin in Australia? We have the knowledge and skills to make it happen.

At Digital One Agency, we’ve been waiting for exactly this kind of clarity. With our experience building blockchain rails, stablecoin infrastructure, and payment integrations, we can take you from concept to compliant launch — quickly, safely, and globally.

Chapter 1: What Exactly Did ASIC Announce?

The new ASIC Corporations (Stablecoin Distribution Exemption) Instrument 2025/631 delivers class relief for intermediaries engaged in secondary distribution of stablecoins, provided:

• The issuer holds an AFS licence.
• The issuer prepares a Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), which intermediaries must make available to clients.

This means:

• No need for intermediaries to separately obtain an AFS, Australian market, or clearing and settlement licence just to distribute stablecoins.
• Stronger incentives for issuers to pursue AFS licensing.
• Clearer protection for consumers, who now know their stablecoin is issued under the same laws that cover mainstream financial products.

The relief takes effect once registered on the Federal Register of Legislation.

Chapter 2: Why This Is So Important

Stablecoins are more than just another crypto token. They are:

• The on-ramp and off-ramp for digital finance.
• The settlement layer for tokenised assets.
• The bridge between traditional finance and DeFi.

Until now, intermediaries faced a wall of overlapping licensing requirements. ASIC has effectively torn that wall down — without compromising safeguards.

For issuers: AFS licensing is now the clear path to legitimacy.
For intermediaries: The door is open to offer stablecoin services at scale.
For consumers: Confidence that stablecoins meet Australia’s financial product standards.

This decision signals that stablecoins are now part of Australia’s financial DNA.

Chapter 3: The First-of-Its-Kind Relief

This exemption is unprecedented in Australia. It tells us three things about ASIC’s approach:

1. Pragmatism over red tape – Intermediaries shouldn’t face double or triple licensing.
2. Responsibility sits with the issuer – Licensing, reserve management, and disclosure are issuer obligations.
3. Consumer-first design – Transparency is built into the system through Product Disclosure Statements.

It’s the balance innovators have been asking for: regulation that supports growth instead of strangling it.

Chapter 4: The Background – CP 381 and INFO 225

This exemption didn’t come out of nowhere. ASIC has been building towards it:

• December 2024 – CP 381 Consultation Paper: Proposed updates to INFO 225, clarifying how financial product laws apply to digital assets — including stablecoins, meme coins, exchange tokens, commodity-backed tokens, and wrapped tokens.
• ASIC signalled then that some stablecoins are financial products under existing law.
• Dozens of submissions followed, with industry calling for clearer pathways.

Now, ASIC is finalising its INFO 225 updates (due in the coming weeks) and publishing thematics and submissions. This will create a consistent regulatory playbook for digital asset businesses.

The September exemption is the first major outcome from that process.

Chapter 5: Treasury’s March 2025 Reforms – The Foundation

Earlier this year, Treasury released its Statement on Developing an Innovative Australian Digital Asset Industryp2025-628504-s. It promised:

• A framework for Digital Asset Platforms (DAPs).
• Stablecoins to be treated as Stored-Value Facilities (SVFs) under payments law.
• A review of the Enhanced Regulatory Sandbox.
• Initiatives on tokenisation, CBDCs, and DeFi.

ASIC’s exemption plugs directly into this roadmap. Treasury set the vision. ASIC has now delivered the first practical breakthrough by clearing the path for stablecoin distribution.

Chapter 6: Project Acacia – Real-World Testing

In July 2025, ASIC supported innovation through Project Acacia, a pilot program that gave regulatory relief to participants testing tokenised asset transactions and digital money.

That experiment paved the way for today’s announcement. It showed ASIC’s willingness to use sandbox-style relief to allow safe experimentation, then scale successful frameworks across the industry.

Stablecoins were always going to be the first major product to benefit — and now they have.

Chapter 7: Consumer Protection at the Core

ASIC hasn’t forgotten its mandate: protecting Australians. By requiring issuers to be AFS licensees and mandating disclosure:

• Reserves must be transparent.
• Capital requirements apply.
• Conflict-of-interest rules kick in.
• Consumers gain recourse in the event of misconduct.

This is not a free-for-all. It’s responsible innovation — innovation that will actually last.

Chapter 8: Why This Makes Australia a Global Leader

Globally, regulators are split:

• The EU (MiCA) demands strict issuer rules.
• The US is still gridlocked.
• Singapore has integrated stablecoins into its payments framework.

Australia now stands out with a hybrid model:

• Issuer obligations under AFS.
• Intermediary freedom under class relief.
• Consumer safeguards through PDS and financial product rules.

It’s smart, balanced, and globally competitive.

Chapter 9: Want to Launch a Stablecoin in Australia?

Now comes the exciting part.

If you’re a fintech, exchange, bank, or enterprise, the roadmap is clear:

1. Obtain (or partner with) an AFS licence.
2. Design your stablecoin — peg, reserves, and tech.
3. Integrate distribution partners (now exempt under ASIC relief).
4. Launch with full compliance and consumer trust.

👉 This is exactly what we do. At Digital One Agency, we have the knowledge and skills to make it happen.

From token engineering to payments integration, compliance workflows to go-to-market launches, we provide end-to-end stablecoin solutions.

Chapter 10: The Digital One Agency Advantage

Why choose us? Because we’ve been here since the beginning.

• Blockchain expertise – over 13 years building real-world solutions.
• Payments integration – stablecoins, on/off ramps, escrow, loyalty systems.
• Regulatory partnerships – working alongside lawyers and compliance experts.
• Global delivery – we build systems designed for scale, across multiple jurisdictions.

If you want to build a stablecoin that is trusted, compliant, and profitable, you need a partner who knows both the tech and the law. That’s us.

Conclusion: The Time Is Now

ASIC’s stablecoin exemption isn’t just a technical update. It’s a signal to the market:

• Stablecoins are here to stay.
• Australia is open for innovation.
• The framework is clear, fair, and enforceable.

👉 If you want to launch a stablecoin in Australia, there has never been a better time. And with Digital One Agency at your side, you can make it happen with confidence.

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