Develop your AML/CTF program (Reform)
As a reporting entity you must develop, maintain and comply with an anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) program.
Your AML/CTF program protects your business from criminal exploitation through money laundering, terrorism financing, and proliferation financing (we refer to these as ML/TF).
You must have an AML/CTF program in place from:
- 31 March 2026 for currently regulated businesses. You need to update your program to meet the new requirements.
- 31 March 2026 for businesses that provide the new virtual asset-related designated services or act as an intermediary passing on a transfer message for the transfer of value.
- 1 July 2026 for businesses that are coming under regulation in the legal, accounting and real estate professions, and dealers in precious metals, stones and products.
From these dates, your program must be documented and approved by a senior manager before you start providing any designated service.
The following guidance will help you develop, maintain and comply with your program.
This guidance sets out how we interpret the Act, along with associated Rules and regulations. Australian courts are ultimately responsible for interpreting these laws and determining if any provisions of these laws are contravened.
The examples and scenarios in this guidance are meant to help explain our interpretation of these laws. They’re not exhaustive or meant to cover every possible scenario.
This guidance provides general information and isn't a substitute for legal advice. This guidance avoids legal language wherever possible and it might include generalisations about the application of the law. Some provisions of the law referred to have exceptions or important qualifications. In most cases your particular circumstances must be taken into account when determining how the law applies to you.