John Bassilios

John advises Australian and international fund managers as well as fintech, payments, digital asset and financial services businesses on licensing, regulation and commercialisation.. He is recognised for advising on Australian financial services licences (AFSLs), Australian credit licences (ACLs) for consumer credit, payment systems regulation, crypto exchanges, stablecoins, digital asset products, tokenisation, managed investment schemes, anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism finance (AML/CTF) compliance and financial services regulation and compliance.

John is one of Australia’s leading lawyers at the intersection of financial services regulation, payments, digital assets and emerging financial infrastructure. John is also recognised as a leading Fintech and Blockchain lawyer, is ranked in Chambers for FinTech, recognised by Legal 500 as a Next Generation Partner, and was previously a Director & Secretary on the Board of the Digital Economy Council of Australia (previously Blockchain Australia, the peak Blockchain industry body), for six years.

John has acted for a wide range of financial services providers (both startups and established industry providers), including payment service providers, crypto exchanges, digital asset issuers, stablecoin issuers, tokenisation platforms, neobanks, embedded finance providers, fund managers, investment advisors, financial planners, stockbrokers, IDPS operators, managed discretionary account providers and consumer credit providers. He has advised financial services providers on all aspects of managed investment schemes, AFSL and ACL licensing, payment facility licensing, disclosure requirements, and ongoing compliance with regulatory requirements.

John has extensive experience advising financial services industry participants on the establishment and development of various financial products, including payment platforms, digital wallets, stored-value facilities and BNPL products, as well as the preparation of disclosure documents such as financial services guides, product disclosure statements and information memoranda.

John also advises on payments regulation, including the Payment Systems (Regulation) Act, Treasury’s payment licensing reforms, RBA regulation of payment systems, and the regulatory framework for payment facilitators, merchant acquirers and payment gateways.

John has significant experience in blockchain and digital asset matters, including advising on and establishing cryptocurrency exchanges (including AFSL for crypto exchanges), structuring tokenised investment products, crypto fund establishment, digital asset custody, advising on stablecoin regulatory frameworks, obtaining AFSLs for fintech businesses, payments licensing, preparing AML/CTF programs, and advising on Security Token Offerings (STOs), RWA tokenisation and token sales in Australia.

John’s clients include fund managers, trustees and responsible entities, financial advisors, payment service providers, payment facilitators, crypto exchanges, digital asset issuers, stablecoin issuers, tokenisation platforms, wealthtech companies, fx dealers, stockbrokers, neobanks, embedded finance providers, and international fintechs entering Australia.

John advises clients on practical regulatory questions, including:

• Do I need an AFSL?
• Do I need an ACL?
• Is my token a financial product?
• Does my payment platform require a licence?
• Is my stablecoin regulated?
• Can I launch a crypto exchange in Australia?
• Is my rewards program a financial product?
• Do I need an AML program?