Australia has the highest number of crypto ATMs in the Asia Pacific region, growing from just 23 in 2019 to around 1,800 today. Most transactions involve cash deposits to buy Bitcoin.
While crypto ATMs are increasing in popularity, our intelligence shows they pose serious risks for scams and money laundering, with dozens of scam victims identified.
On 30 July 2025, we initiated proceedings against the Mount Pritchard District and Community Club Limited, Mounties, for alleged contraventions of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing Act 2006. This case underscores the seriousness of compliance and highlights the role consultants can play in helping businesses meet their AML/CTF obligations.
Since Fintel Alliance’s expansion in April 2025, our focus has been on enhancing real-time intelligence sharing and collective action to tackle financial crime more effectively.
The launch of the Fintel Alliance LinkedIn page marked a new step in how we connect and share our work with industry and the public.
On 29 August 2025 we tabled the new Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Rules 2025 (the Rules) in Parliament. This marks a large step for businesses preparing for regulation in 2026.
AUSTRAC is developing a range of education products to support and prepare current reporting entities and tranche 2 entities for AML/CTF reforms. These products include:
In August we launched a major national reforms awareness campaign marking the beginning of the most significant Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) reforms in 2 decades. These new laws will change the obligations for industries and reporting entities already regulated by AUSTRAC and will also extend to cover new sectors and businesses.
Following Fintel Alliance intelligence generation around illicit cash activity, industry raised reporting on a NSW entity which was then referred to the Australia Federal Police (AFP) Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce (CACT).
As part of National Child Protection Week, AUSTRAC is reminding financial services providers of the critical role they play in detecting child sexual exploitation for financial gain.
More than 58,500 reports of online child abuse were logged with the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) in the financial year 2023-24. That works out to be around 160 each day. And that’s only what gets reported.
AUSTRAC intelligence sparked an investigation that helped the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) to uncover a NSW police officer who sold more than $1.3 million in family gold bars to fund a gambling addiction.