Recent regulator changes that affect company checks, ownership evidence and cross-border transactions. See the change, the records to check and the official source.
Verify the investing company's identity and owners in Mainland records, then check the Australian target in ASIC. For a bank or covered professional reviewing the transaction, pair those company records with the banking, sale or income evidence needed to explain the funds. Compare ASIC extracts and request a search.
11 August 2026 to 11 November 2026. Dates below are release, guidance-update or effective dates, as labelled.
· Updated · Australia
AUSTRAC explains evidence for source of funds and wealth
Guidance updated
What changed. AUSTRAC's 13 October update explains how covered businesses establish where transaction funds or customer wealth came from. It calls for checks proportionate to the customer's risk.
Why it matters. For an overseas-owned business, registry and ownership records can corroborate the company behind a funding explanation.
What to do. Match the company and its owners to registry records. Use banking, income or sale documents to check the funds themselves.
AMLA submits draft standards for customer due diligence
Draft standards
What changed. AMLA submitted draft customer-due-diligence standards to the European Commission on 1 October. They cover information to collect and verify, remote identification and politically exposed persons.
Why it matters. EU compliance teams can compare current onboarding and ownership evidence with the proposed detail ahead of Commission adoption.
What to do. Review the draft's evidence fields and track the Commission's final decision.
What changed. NAIC maintains mandatory MPCI cargo-security filing from 1 October 2026, with phased enforcement. Its specification sets 24-hour pre-load deadlines for direct and lowest-level house bills, and six hours for master and master co-loader bills.
Why it matters. For covered cargo through Dubai or another UAE seaport, filings need the actual shipper and consignee details, subject to negotiable-bill rules.
What to do. Check the bill type, filing deadline and the shipper's and consignee's legal names against company records.
AUSTRAC flags offshore funding and false business records in mortgage fraud
Risk alert
What changed. AUSTRAC's 30 September alert identifies fabricated business activity, misleading loan documents and offshore or third-party property-settlement funds in suspected mortgage fraud.
Why it matters. Lenders can compare a company's registry record and owners with the business history claimed in a loan application.
What to do. Confirm the company and its owners, then check income and settlement documents against the application.
AUSTRAC issues infringement notices for failure to enrol
Enforcement
What changed. On 30 September, AUSTRAC announced infringement notices for real estate, accounting and jewellery businesses it believes failed to enrol for covered services. The expanded AML/CTF regime began on 1 July 2026.
Why it matters. A firm providing a covered service needs a workable process for checking corporate clients and beneficial owners.
What to do. Check whether the service is covered, enrol where required and keep the company and owner evidence used in client checks.
ASIC proposes new access settings for company-register information
Consultation closed
What changed. ASIC's CP 391 proposes new access settings for Australian company-register information. Consultation closed on 12 October; ASIC plans to publish a draft instrument in March 2027.
Why it matters. Teams checking Australian counterparties should watch which company and officeholder fields remain available in extracts.
What to do. Use current ASIC extracts for today's checks and review the proposed access settings for future workflows.
