Nikolai Timofejev
15 years in FinTech and payments. Maps your business model to the right licence scope and leads the file all the way to the ASIC decision, including banking and payment rails.
Get a forex license in Australia.
Asia-Pacific's serious retail desk: the ASIC AFSL for OTC derivatives carries A$1 million net tangible assets, the CFD intervention order's 30:1 ceiling, and a stamp the region's traders actively look for. We build the Australian file end to end.
27 yrs
on the international marketon the market
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
400+
Licenses obtainedlicenses obtained
Updated
Australia in brief
The retail regime traders trust by name.
Australia licenses forex and CFD brokerage through ASIC: an Australian Financial Services Licence with derivative and foreign-exchange authorisations, responsible managers whose track records match them, and - for retail OTC derivative issuers - financial requirements with real teeth: net tangible assets of the greater of A$1 million or 10% of average revenue, held in the prescribed liquid form, under the class order ASIC remade in 2022. The conduct layer is equally concrete: the CFD product intervention order, in force since 29 March 2021 and extended since, caps retail leverage from 30:1 on major FX pairs down to 2:1 on crypto-underlyings, mandates negative balance protection and standardised margin close-out - the reform that took Australian retail brokerage from 500:1 folklore to institutional respectability.
That respectability is the product: an ASIC AFSL reads across Asia-Pacific the way an FCA permission reads across Europe - banks onboard it, PSPs price it, and the region's traders search for it by name. The obligations are continuous - breach reporting, design-and-distribution obligations, RG 227 disclosure, and ASIC supervises energetically. Realistic end-to-end: 9-15 months with credible responsible managers; corporate tax runs 30% (25% base-rate entities). We run the file from our Sydney office with Australian counsel.
The ASIC AFSL for OTC derivatives: NTA of A$1M or 10% of revenue in liquid form, the CFD intervention order (30:1-2:1, NBP, close-out) since March 2021, responsible managers with real records.
The reward: the stamp Asia-Pacific's traders search for by name. Wholesale-only route available for institutional models.
The two routes
The retail issuer AFSL - or wholesale-only.
One licence family, two perimeters: the full retail OTC derivatives issuer with A$1M NTA and the intervention order, or the wholesale-only AFSL that trades institutional scope for lighter obligations. We fix the perimeter first, then build once.
The retail issuer AFSL - or wholesale-only without the product order.
01 - RETAIL OTC DERIVATIVES ISSUER
The full retail AFSL
The flagship: issuing CFDs and margin FX to retail clients under derivative and FX authorisations. A$1 million NTA, the intervention order's product rules, DDO distribution governance and ASIC's full supervisory attention.
The flagship: issuing CFDs and margin FX to retail clients under derivative and FX authorisations. A$1 million NTA, the intervention order's product rules, DDO distribution governance and ASIC's full supervisory attention.
- ✓Issue CFDs & margin FX to retail
- ✓NTA - A$1M or 10% of revenue
- ✓CFD order - 30:1 to 2:1 by class
- ✓Negative balance protection built in
- ✓DDO target-market governance
- ✓Responsible managers with real records
02 - WHOLESALE-ONLY AFSL
Institutional perimeterThe wholesale route
Derivative and FX authorisations limited to wholesale clients. Lighter financial requirements, no intervention-order product rules, faster to obtain. For liquidity, prop-adjacent and B2B models that never touch retail.
Wholesale clients only; lighter financials; liquidity and B2B models; upgrade path to retail.
- ✓Wholesale clients only - by design
- ✓Lighter financial requirements
- ✓No CFD-order product rules
- ✓Liquidity and B2B architectures
- ✓Upgrade path to retail later
- ✓Same ASIC licence framework
Costs and timelines are confirmed for your case before any work begins. ASIC fees follow its schedule; NTA, indemnity and substance costs are itemised in your quote.
Why Australia
The stamp Asia-Pacific searches for.
A cleaned-up retail regime with real capital behind it, and the regional trust that cleanup purchased.
✓
Regional trust by name
Asia-Pacific traders actively filter for ASIC-licensed brokers. The licence is a marketing asset in exactly the markets growth comes from.Filtered for by name.
✓
Real financial requirements
A$1 million NTA in prescribed liquid form separates capitalised operators from the rest. Counterparties know it, which is why the stamp converts.A$1M NTA separates operators.
✓
A settled product regime
The intervention order's leverage tiers and protections are stable, extended law. The product is engineered once, not renegotiated yearly.Engineered once.
✓
The wholesale option
Institutional and liquidity models take the wholesale-only AFSL. Same licence family, lighter load. A genuine two-speed architecture.Two-speed architecture.
✓
A developed home market
Australia's own trading population is deep, wealthy and self-directed. The home base is a market, not just a flag.A market, not just a flag.
✓
Energetic supervision priced in
ASIC enforces visibly. Breach reporting, DDO reviews, surveillance. Firms built for it wear the scrutiny as credibility; we build for it.Built for supervision.
How it compares
How Australia differs from other routes.
Australia pairs FCA-grade credibility with Asia-Pacific reach. The comparison is below.
Australia vs other jurisdictions
| Feature |  Australia | Other jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| Regime | AFSL - ASIC | MiFID desks or offshore |
| Capital | NTA A$1M / 10% revenue | €75k-£750k EU/UK |
| Retail rules | CFD order - extended | ESMA-style or none |
| Regional pull | Asia-Pacific by name | Europe-centric |
Regime
AustraliaAFSL - ASIC
Other jurisdictionsMiFID desks or offshore
Capital
AustraliaNTA A$1M / 10% revenue
Other jurisdictions€75k-£750k EU/UK
Retail rules
AustraliaCFD order - extended
Other jurisdictionsESMA-style or none
Regional pull
AustraliaAsia-Pacific by name
Other jurisdictionsEurope-centric
Country by country
| Country | License type | Taxation | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | ASIC AFSL | 30% · 25% base | NTA A$1M, CFD order |
 United Kingdom | FCA investment firm | 25% CIT · 19% small | MIFIDPRU, CASS, PS19/18 |
 Cyprus | CySEC CIF | 15% CIT (2026) | IFD tiers, EU passport |
 Singapore | MAS CMS licence | 17% · reliefs | SFA regime, benchmark stamp |
AustraliaLicense typeASIC AFSL
Taxation30% · 25% base
RequirementsNTA A$1M, CFD order
United KingdomLicense typeFCA investment firm
Taxation25% CIT · 19% small
RequirementsMIFIDPRU, CASS, PS19/18
CyprusLicense typeCySEC CIF
Taxation15% CIT (2026)
RequirementsIFD tiers, EU passport
SingaporeLicense typeMAS CMS licence
Taxation17% · reliefs
RequirementsSFA regime, benchmark stamp
Before you apply
Requirements for the OTC derivatives AFSL.Requirements for the AFSL.
ASIC licenses models it understands, run by people whose records prove it. The craft is a file where both are undeniable. The checklist below is what a passing application contains.
01
Australian entity. A company with real operations in Australia.
02
Financial requirements. NTA of A$1 million or 10% of average revenue (whichever is greater), in prescribed liquid form, modelled forward.
03
Responsible managers. Demonstrable OTC-derivatives track records matching every authorisation sought.
04
Transparent ownership. Controllers disclosed and assessed to UBO level.
05
The dealing model. B-book, STP or hybrid documented with hedging counterparties and flow economics ASIC can interrogate.
06
CFD-order compliance. Leverage tiers, negative balance protection and close-out engineered into the platform.
07
DDO framework. Target-market determinations and distribution governance, live at launch.
08
Client-money handling. Australian client-money rules with reconciliation and reporting.
09
RG 227 disclosure. The benchmark disclosure regime for OTC derivative issuers, met in the PDS.
10
Breach and reporting discipline. The continuous-obligation machinery ASIC actually checks.
01
Australian company, real ops.
02
NTA A$1M / 10% - liquid form.
03
Responsible managers with records.
04
Controllers to UBO level.
05
Dealing model documented.
06
CFD order engineered in.
07
DDO framework live.
08
Client-money rules met.
09
RG 227 disclosure in the PDS.
10
Breach machinery running.
Reflects the Corporations Act, RG 166, the remade class order for retail OTC derivative issuers and the CFD intervention order as of 2026.Corporations Act + RG 166 + class order + CFD order, as of 2026.
How it works
From first call to the AFSL register.
01
Perimeter and strategy
Retail issuer or wholesale-only, authorisations and NTA plan. Fixed in writing before any drafting.Retail or wholesale - fixed.
02
Company and responsible managers
Incorporation, capital evidence and the responsible managers whose records carry the application.Capital, people with records.
03
The application file
Dealing model, financial requirements, product rules and DDO. Complete before filing, because ASIC probes everything.Complete. ASIC probes all.
04
ASIC review
Question rounds and requisitions answered - 9-15 months realistic for the retail issuer.9-15 months realistic.
05
Licence and launch
The register entry, client-money arrangements live, the intervention-order product running. The stamp the region searches for.Register, client money, launch.
Quick facts
RegulatorASIC
LicenceAFSL - derivatives & FX
NTAA$1M or 10% revenue
CFD order since29 March 2021 · extended
Retail leverage30:1 → 2:1 by class
Wholesale routeLighter - no product order
Realistic timeline9-15 months
Corporate tax30% · 25% base rate
ASIC licenses proven people running understood models with real capital. Assembling all three is the entire game, and our job.
On the ground in Australia
Run from our Sydney office.
Prifinance - Australia
Sydney · Australia
Sydney, Australia
01
Australian company formation
Incorporation, the NTA capital plan and the corporate layer ASIC expects. Structured for the licence from day one.NTA plan, structured.
02
The AFSL file
Dealing model, financial-requirement calculations, CFD-order product engineering and DDO framework. Drafted with Australian counsel and defended through the rounds.With Australian counsel, defended.
03
Responsible-manager assembly
The people ASIC will accept, matched to the authorisations sought. Recruited, documented and prepared as their own workstream.The people ASIC accepts.
04
Substance and staffing
Resident leadership, compliance and dealing oversight from Sydney's and Melbourne's deep pools. Real substance ASIC recognises.Sydney/Melbourne talent.
We also have offices in
Tallinn
Estonia
Roseni 13
Vilnius
Lithuania
Gedimino pr. 2
Prague
Czech Republic
Vlkova 532/8, Žižkov
London
United Kingdom
7 Bell Yard
Madeira
Portugal
Rua da Alegria 31, 1F
Budapest
Hungary
Korányi Sándor u. 4
Istanbul
Turkey
Perpa Ticaret Merkezi, A Blok
Good to know
Taxation of forex brokers in Australia.
Developed-market rates for a developed market: 30% headline, 25% for base-rate entities. With franking credits above.
Corporate tax 30% · 25%
The 30% headline drops to 25% for base-rate entities under the turnover threshold. Most licensed startups begin at 25%.Most start at 25%.
Franking credits
The imputation system attaches credits to dividends. Resident shareholders offset corporate tax paid, removing domestic double taxation.No domestic double tax.
GST - input-taxed finance
Financial supplies are input-taxed; the 10% GST touches ordinary supplies with credit maths modelled carefully.Credit maths modelled.
R&D incentive
Platform and risk-engine build-out claims the refundable R&D incentive. Real money back on genuine development.Refundable build-out.
Loss and group rules
Build-phase losses carry forward under continuity tests; consolidated groups model cleanly for multi-entity structures.Build phase absorbed.
Treaty network 45+
Solid coverage across the OECD and Asia. Group structures above the Australian entity model cleanly.OECD + Asia.
Tax summary
Corporate tax30% · 25% base rate
DividendsFranking imputation
GST10% · input-taxed finance
R&D incentiveRefundable tranches
Tax treaties45+
*Figures as of 2026 per the ATO. Base-rate eligibility and franking outcomes are modelled per structure.
Turnkey professional support
Experienced lawyers and international consultants.
We provide end-to-end support, from company registration and the application file to regulatory interaction and compliance oversight - with an individualized approach to each client.
Oleksii Kindratenko
Builds the application itself: Australian company, AML/KYC policy pack, capital structure and tax registrations. His document sets are the reason reviews finish in months, not years.
Eugeniu Bevziuc
First point of contact for international founders. Runs the whole setup remotely, across time zones and languages - from the first call to a live, licensed issuer.
Follow Prifinance
Active across our channels.
Australia · ASIC
Launch your forex project in Australia with expert support.
Full-service assistance - from incorporation to the AFSL, responsible managers and ongoing compliance.
Get a consultation →Free legal opinion
Is Australia the right fit for your project?
Our legal team will analyze your case at no cost and provide a written legal opinion: which jurisdiction, licence scope, or route fits your business.
Written assessment within 2-5 business days
Request a free conclusion →FAQ
The Australian forex AFSL: quick answers.
What licence does a forex broker need in Australia?+
An ASIC AFSL with derivative and foreign-exchange authorisations - as a retail OTC derivatives issuer for consumer-facing brokerage, or wholesale-only for institutional models - run by responsible managers whose track records match the authorisations.
What are the financial requirements?+
For retail OTC derivative issuers: net tangible assets of the greater of A$1 million or 10% of average revenue, held in the prescribed liquid form under the class order ASIC remade in 2022 - modelled forward so growth never breaches it.
What does the CFD intervention order require?+
In force since 29 March 2021 and extended since: retail leverage capped from 30:1 (major FX) down to 2:1 (crypto), negative balance protection and standardised margin close-out. The product is engineered for it from day one.
How long does the AFSL take?+
Realistically 9-15 months for the retail issuer - ASIC probes the dealing model, the numbers and the people. Credible responsible managers are the single biggest accelerator; assembling them is our job.
Who can be a responsible manager?+
People with demonstrable, recent OTC-derivatives experience matching each authorisation - ASIC tests the substance, not the CV formatting. We recruit and prepare RMs as a dedicated workstream.
What substance is expected?+
A genuinely Australian operation: resident leadership, client-money handling under Australian rules, DDO governance and breach-reporting machinery that actually runs. ASIC visits, and enforces visibly.
How are brokers taxed?+
30% corporate tax (25% base-rate entities), franking credits for resident shareholders, input-taxed financial supplies under GST and the refundable R&D incentive for platform build-out.
What is the wholesale-only route worth?+
Institutional scope without the intervention order's product rules and with lighter financial requirements - right for liquidity providers, B2B flow and prop-adjacent models. Many groups run wholesale first, retail when earned.
Does the AFSL passport anywhere?+
No - like the rest of Asia-Pacific. What travels is the brand: the region's traders filter for ASIC-licensed brokers by name, which is passporting of a commercial kind. Groups pair it with EU or offshore licences for other flows.
Why Australia rather than Cyprus or offshore?+
Cyprus sells the EU passport; offshore sells speed. Australia sells Asia-Pacific trust with real capital behind it - the licence for groups whose growth map points east. Serious multi-licence structures usually include it.
What licence?+
ASIC AFSL - derivatives & FX authorisations.
Capital?+
NTA A$1M or 10% of revenue.
Product rules?+
CFD order - 30:1, NBP, close-out.
How long?+
9-15 months realistic.
RMs?+
Real records - we assemble them.
Substance?+
Resident, running, visitable.
Taxes?+
30%/25%; franking; R&D.
Wholesale?+
Lighter route - no product order.
Passport?+
None - the brand travels instead.
Vs Cyprus?+
Their passport; your Asia-Pacific.
Client notes
Google4.7★★★★★
Founders who wanted it done right.
Google4.7★★★★★
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Prifinance is an independent law and advisory firm. We are not a regulator and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) or any other public authority. Authorisations are granted by, and obtained directly from, the competent authorities.