About AUSTRAC
The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) is Australia’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regulator and financial intelligence service. It ensures that businesses are compliant with their reporting and risk management obligations and analyses and provides law enforcement authorities and national security partners with information to assist them in their investigations and operations.
About InBrief
Launched in December 2020 and published quarterly, AUSTRAC InBrief is aimed at helping businesses understand their AML/CTF obligations and protect the community from organised crime. Each issue of AUSTRAC InBrief covers a wide variety of topics and issues that involve AUSTRAC, including events, policy and legislation changes, case studies, compliance advice, and more. Issue 22, published in March 2026, consists of nine articles thematically centred around communal action and combatting crime.
Feature article
The feature article reminded new and existing reporting entities of the importance of meeting their reporting obligations and the consequences of non-compliance. An update was also provided about new enrolment and registration forms that will be available on AUSTRAC Online from 31 March 2026, as well as a reminder to update enrolment details.
AUSTRAC also provided a brief update concerning a planned AUSTRAC Online outage, as well as multiple links to educational resources spanning guides, proliferation financing indicators, videos, and more.
Reform Updates
Getting ready with program starter kits
AUSTRAC issued a reminder that from 31 March 2026 new enrolment forms would be available on AUSTRAC Online for businesses that provide designated services that fall under the remit of the new AML/CTF laws. AUSTRAC also announced that program starter kits (comprehensive information resources designed to help newly regulated small businesses meet their AML/CTF obligations) had been made available online.
New rules
AUSTRAC issued guidance on multiple rules, including transitional rules, a travel rule, and amendments to the AML/CTF Rules. The travel rule will require businesses who transfer/receive money, virtual assets, or property for customers to “collect, verify and share” information with other businesses involved in a transfer.
The transitional rules set deadlines for customer due diligence framework adoptions, and AML/CTF compliance officer change notifications, extended timeframes for post-reform evaluations for businesses who have completed an independent evaluation, and a reminder about deferred deadlines for virtual asset service providers (VASPs). Finally, AUSTRAC provided a link to a detailed summary of the amendments to the AML/CTF Rules.
AUSTRAC website overhaul
30 March 2026 saw the launch of a revamped AUSTRAC website, designed to feature an improved interface and design, updated filtering and search features, and new self-service features, as well as updated Contact Centre services access. The Contact Centre improvements are noted as including extended support hours, a new dashboard and telephony systems, and improved toolsets for data analysis.
Industry guidance
Updated SMR guidance
Following feedback from industry partners, AUSTRAC updated its suspicious matter reports (SMR) guidance to improve “best-practice expectations for drafting grounds for suspicion (GFS) text”. The SMR reference guide has also seen an update to its formatting, language, and the addition of some new content, including a “new crypto know your customer (KYC) reporting scenario”.
AUSTRAC news articles
Partnership between Fintel Alliance and FAST
AUSTRAC reported on the successful partnership between the Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (FAST) created by the Australian Federal Police in 2021, and members of the Fintel Alliance, and highlighted two case studies that revealed how the public-private partnership resulted in positive outcomes that led to the detection and disruption of criminal activities in Australia.
FATF provides February update
AUSTRAC reported on updates provided by the FATF on its high-risk jurisdictions subject to a call for action and jurisdictions under increased monitoring, with the former providing updates on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran, and Myanmar, and the latter issuing updates on 22 countries.
Cryptocurrency ATMs and enhanced customer due diligence
AUSTRAC reminded readers of the additional registration requirements that cryptocurrency ATMs (CATMs) have had to include since September 2025 to help identify signs of possible financial crime, and also explained how enhanced customer due diligence (ECDD) measures have proven beneficial through the use of three example case studies.
AUSTRAC also reminded CATM providers to “maintain strong monitoring and ECDD processes” and identified six ongoing practices that can be used to maintain a strong ECDD process.
Helping combat terrorism in Australia
In light of the December 2025 Bondi Beach terror attack, AUSTRAC reminded businesses that it provides a Terrorism Financing in Australia National Risk Assessment, which helps businesses understand how the AML/CTF Act works and how they can manage their risks. AUSTRAC also highlighted the importance of monitoring for irregular customer behaviour and unusual transactions and submitting SMRs to help protect the Australian community and financial system.
Key takeaways
Communal action and combatting crime were recurring themes in the March 2026 issue of AUSTRAC InBrief. By highlighting the importance of staying up to date and compliant with AML/CTF policies and obligations, AUSTRAC helps individuals and businesses protect not only themselves but also the wider Australian community against money laundering, terrorism and proliferation financing, and organised crime.
