What is AUSTRAC?
Australia's financial intelligence agency. Crypto exchanges serving Australians must be registered with it.
AUSTRAC is Australia's financial intelligence agency — the regulator that watches money flows for laundering and terrorism financing. Since 2018, any business exchanging crypto for Australian dollars must register with AUSTRAC and run an AML/CTF program: identity checks, transaction monitoring, and reporting of suspicious activity.
Registration is the entry ticket, not a quality award — it means the platform performs its legal obligations, not that its fees are fair or its practices sound. That's why this site lists AUSTRAC-registered platforms only and then reviews them on everything registration doesn't cover. AUSTRAC has also moved forcefully on crypto ATMs, where scam-driven transfers concentrated.
See it in practice
Related terms: KYC · AFSL · Custodial · full glossary
FAQ
Does AUSTRAC registration mean an exchange is safe?
No — it means the platform meets anti-money-laundering obligations. It says nothing about fees, spreads, custody practices or solvency, which is why reviews exist. Registration is necessary, not sufficient.
How do I check if a platform is registered?
AUSTRAC maintains a public register of digital currency exchange providers. Every platform we list has been checked against it — and appearing on no register while serving Australians is disqualifying.
General information only, not financial advice. Definitions are maintained in our fact database and reviewed with the daily rebuild.