Oceania: Finance and Banking

On 8 October 2026, ASIC issued an interim stop order on the product disclosure statement (PDS) of units in several registered managed investment schemes (the Funds). The Funds invested in short-term mortgages...

Australia's private credit market faces its first genuine stress cycle as property transaction velocity slows and ASIC intensifies regulatory scrutiny. With delayed exits, extended loan maturities, and increased workout activity creating pressure across the sector, fund managers and trustees must now navigate both commercial challenges and heightened enforcement risk while ensuring their governance frameworks can withstand regulatory examination.

Australia's payment services landscape is undergoing a fundamental regulatory transformation with the introduction of new legislation that shifts focus from specific technologies to the functions and activities performed by payment service providers. The Treasury Laws Amendment Bill 2026 will replace the existing non-cash payment facility framework with a comprehensive licensing regime that distinguishes between payment products and payment services, potentially capturing previously unregulated payment