AUSTRAC overview

Our vision

A financial system free from criminal abuse.

Our purpose

To build resilience in the financial system and use financial intelligence and regulation to disrupt money laundering, terrorism financing and other serious crime.

Serious crime is motivated by profit, and no matter the size, most criminal acts leave a financial trail.

Criminals seek to exploit vulnerabilities within the financial sector to disguise illicit funds and enable other serious crimes such as terrorism, slavery, drug trafficking, child exploitation, fraud, tax evasion and corruption.

People committing crimes interact with the businesses we regulate to move money and hide the proceeds of their crimes.

Our financial intelligence specialists collaborate with law enforcement and national security partners to identify national security threats, and detect and disrupt criminal networks and the proceeds of their crimes.

Reporting entities are at the front line in combating financial crime. We regulate more than 17,000 businesses to help them to protect their businesses, and the financial sector, from criminal abuse.

We make sure regulated businesses comply with their obligations to have systems and controls in place to manage risks, and we provide them with guidance and education to help them protect themselves from being exploited by criminals.

We also protect the integrity of the financial system by ensuring regulated entities comply with the law, and can take legal action in cases of non-compliance.

The businesses we regulate detect and submit suspicious matters and report financial transactions to AUSTRAC. Our financial intelligence specialists analyse this information to identify potential criminal activity or risks to national security.

All transactions and suspicious matters reported to AUSTRAC are also directly available to more than 5,000 designated users within federal, state and territory partner agencies.

Learn more about AUSTRAC’s intelligence function and how our financial intelligence has played a key role  in the detection and disruption of serious crime.

Download poster and fact sheet

Fact sheet: How we work with industry and partners (PDF, 92KB)

Poster: How we work with industry and partners (PDF, 278KB)

As part of the Attorney General's portfolio and National Intelligence Community, we work together with government agencies and law enforcement partners at a state and federal level to support whole of government priorities.

We are a member of national and state task forces, providing specialist financial intelligence to national security and transnational serious and organised crime efforts. 

To combat money laundering and terrorism financing across borders, we share intelligence with other financial intelligence units and regulators internationally.

We also contribute to international efforts by playing an active role in international AML/CTF organisations and through providing technical assistance and training.

In addition, AUSTRAC’s Fintel Alliance brings together government and private sector organisations who work together to increase the resilience of the financial sector and contribute to law enforcement investigations.