Share this article
Australia’s Securities Regulator Issues Criteria for Crypto-Asset ETPs
A cryptocurrency must meet five criteria to be a permissible asset to back an exchange-traded product or other structured product, the regulator said.
Updated May 11, 2023, 4:30 p.m. Published Oct 29, 2021, 10:49 a.m.
Australia’s securities regulator has determined that bitcoin and ether are likely to satisfy its criteria as appropriate underlying assets for exchange-traded products (ETPs).
- The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) on Friday published its guidance for providers wishing to offer ETPs linked to the performance of cryptocurrency, following a request from market participants for feedback in June.
- For crypto to be a permissible asset to back an ETP or other structured product, it must meet five criteria: a high level of institutional support and acceptance, reputable and experienced service providers to support the products, a mature spot market, regulated futures markets for trading derivatives and robust and transparent pricing mechanisms.
- On this basis, bitcoin and ether “appear likely to satisfy all five factors ... to determine appropriate underlying assets for an ETP,” the ASIC said.
- An exchanged-traded fund (ETF) offering exposure to crypto-focused companies provided by ETF manager BetaShares is expected to start trading in Australia soon. The ASIC findings suggest it could be followed by products offering more direct exposure to crypto in the months ahead.
Read more: Bitcoin ETFs Aren’t New. Here’s How They’ve Fared Outside the US
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
More For You
What to know:
- As of October 2025, GoPlus has generated $4.7M in total revenue across its product lines. The GoPlus App is the primary revenue driver, contributing $2.5M (approx. 53%), followed by the SafeToken Protocol at $1.7M.
- GoPlus Intelligence's Token Security API averaged 717 million monthly calls year-to-date in 2025 , with a peak of nearly 1 billion calls in February 2025. Total blockchain-level requests, including transaction simulations, averaged an additional 350 million per month.
- Since its January 2025 launch , the $GPS token has registered over $5B in total spot volume and $10B in derivatives volume in 2025. Monthly spot volume peaked in March 2025 at over $1.1B , while derivatives volume peaked the same month at over $4B.
More For You
Citadel Securities and DeFi Waging War of Words Through SEC Correspondence
The investing giant had asked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to treat DeFi players like regulated entities, and the DeFi crowd pushed back.
What to know:
- A feud conducted over U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) correspondence has developed between Citadel Securities and the DeFi sector, arguing over whether DeFi protocols should be more regulated.
- The DeFi space is calling out the investment firm for its approach to the securities regulator.
Top Stories
