We have a narrow window to lead in digital finance
A $24 billion digital finance opportunity is well within reach, but Australia will need industry and government moving together to capture it.
We have reached a pivotal moment for digital finance in Australia — one that comes rarely in financial history. What we do next will determine how much of a $24 billion annual opportunity we capture, and who shapes the future architecture of our financial system.
Realising that opportunity will require us to act together, and quickly, through a coordinated Team Australia effort.
Globally, a once-in-a-generation transformation is underway. Digital finance is moving from the periphery to become a foundational layer of the financial system. From tokenised money, bonds and funds to programmable collateral, distributed settlement platforms and 24/7 markets, real-world use cases are scaling.
Australia is in a strong position to benefit. Years of work across industry, regulation and research are now converging. We already have licensed AUD stablecoins, tokenised market platforms and a pipeline of regulatory reform taking shape. Through Australia’s flagship tokenisation measure Project Acacia, we have not only explored digital finance, but tested it in real markets with real institutions.
