Crypto & Digital Assets - New Zealand

DevelopingNo bespoke VASP licensing regime. Crypto exchanges/VASPs are regulated by applying existing general law: the AML/CFT Act 2009 (supervised mainly by the Department of Internal Affairs), the Financial Service Providers (Registration and Dispute Resolution) Act 2008 (FSPR registration), and the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013 (FMA — applies where a crypto asset is a 'financial product'). The OECD Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) applies from 1 April 2026 (administered by Inland Revenue).

New Zealand has deliberately not created a standalone licensing framework for crypto exchanges or virtual-asset service providers; instead it applies existing financial-services, AML/CFT and conduct laws to crypto activity. VASPs must register on the FSPR and comply with AML/CFT obligations supervised primarily by the DIA, while the FMA's market-conduct rules bite only where a crypto asset qualifies as a regulated 'financial product'. As of 2026 the regime is evolving: CARF tax-reporting obligations take effect 1 April 2026, and the FMA is developing a fintech sandbox and a new 'on-ramp' restricted licence to give startups a supervised market entry path.

Machine-assisted translation · verified 5/23/2026 · orientation, not legal advice. English version →