This guide provides financial indicators to help businesses, including digital currency exchange providers, recognise and report criminal activity through digital currencies.
Digital currencies are increasing in value and acceptance as Australians have rapidly taken up this new technology. Digital currencies and blockchain technology enable digital transactions and financial products and services in new online networks, environments and marketplaces.
Criminals are attempting to take advantage of the rapid take-up of digital currencies to commit crimes and hide from law enforcement. The pseudo-anonymous and borderless nature of digital currencies can make them a risk for criminal activity including money laundering, terrorism financing, ransomware and more.
Download the Financial crime guide – Preventing the criminal abuse of digital currencies (PDF, 1.74MB)
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.