Australian beneficial ownership disclosure rules are changing

 

Reforms to beneficial ownership disclosure rules under the Corporations Act are coming. We're here to help you stay ahead.

 

The Treasury Laws Amendment Act 2025 introduces the most significant reforms to Australia's beneficial ownership framework in years. FundApps is tracking every development - so you don't have to.

 

australia

Australian beneficial ownership disclosure rules are changing

 

Reforms to beneficial ownership disclosure rules under the Corporations Act are coming. We're here to help you stay ahead.

 

The Treasury Laws Amendment Act 2025 introduces the most significant reforms to Australia's beneficial ownership framework in years. FundApps is tracking every development - so you don't have to.

 

australia

What's happening and why it matters

Australia is overhauling its beneficial ownership framework for the first time in years. The Treasury Laws Amendment Act 2025, informed by ASIC CP 387, introduces major changes to how substantial shareholding disclosure obligations are calculated and enforced.

From December 2026, cash-settled derivatives and other economic interests will be brought into scope for the first time. ASIC's enforcement powers will widen, and penalties for non-compliance will increase substantially. Firms with exposure to Australian-listed entities will face a materially different compliance landscape.

The subordinate legislation setting out the precise calculation methodology for deemed economic interests is still outstanding - which means the full picture is not yet available, and preparation time is narrowing.

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What this means for you

If your firm holds or manages positions in Australian-listed entities, these reforms are likely to affect you. Key implications include:

  • Derivative positions (including cash-settled instruments) may now trigger substantial holding notice obligations in Australia for the first time
  • Calculation methodology is changing - existing processes for beneficial ownership calculation around derivatives will need to be revisited
  • Disclosure timelines and thresholds are under review, with ASIC's final legislative instrument still pending
  • Non-compliance penalties are increasing, raising the cost of getting it wrong

For compliance teams already managing multi-jurisdictional shareholding disclosure obligations, Australia now requires dedicated attention.

Webinar: Australia's shareholding disclosure reforms

We're hosting a live webinar with aosphere covering the reforms in detail - including what ASIC's finalised instrument rules mean in practice and what your compliance function needs to do before December 2026.

Register now

Key dates to watch

The reforms are moving through the legislative process - the Treasury Laws Amendment Bill 2025 has progressed through Parliament and received Royal Assent. Here's where things stand.

  • September 2025 - Treasury proposes the Treasury Laws Amendment Bill 2025
  • 10 March 2026 - ASIC releases CP 387, consulting on the draft legislative instrument
  • 21 April 2026 - CP 387 consultation closes
  • July 2026 - ASIC expected to publish legislative instrument on deemed economic interest calculation methodology
  • December 2026 - Reforms expected to come into effect (12 months post-Royal Assent)

FundApps is monitoring each milestone and will update this page as the picture becomes clearer.

Purpose-built for Australia's new disclosure landscape

Regulatory change of this scale requires more than awareness. It requires preparation. FundApps is launching a dedicated Australia rules package as part of our Shareholding Disclosure product - built specifically around the incoming reforms to give compliance teams a precise, up-to-date ruleset for Australian beneficial ownership obligations, without the noise of a broader implementation.

The package covers:

  • Major: Australia - Panel Regime Long
  • Major: Australia - Panel Regime Shorts
  • Major: Australia - Statutory Regime
  • Short selling: Australia - Percentage
  • Short selling: Australia - Value
  • Takeover: Australia

As ASIC publishes its calculation guidance under the enhanced beneficial ownership instrument 2026, the rules package will be updated to reflect the complete picture. So when December 2026 arrives, you're ready.

More resources

Australian financial regulator 4

Why we're pushing back on ASIC's tech assumptions

ASIC is deciding how Australia's new substantial shareholding disclosure laws get implemented. FundApps explains how that choice has real consequences for global compliance teams. 

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Australian financial regulator 1

FundApps' response to CP 387

FundApps responds to ASIC Consultation Paper 387, arguing for structured, machine-readable disclosure formats that serve transparency without sacrificing accessibility. 

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