Australian AML/CTF · Learning library
Understand the rules.
See how they connect.
Clear explanations, practical examples and visual guides, with legislation and AUSTRAC sources.
General information only. Not legal or professional advice. Each page states when its sources were checked.
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63 guides · 8 topics
- Scope and legal framework
Understand which services, entities and legal conditions matter.
- Governance and programs
Connect responsibilities, people and the AML/CTF program.
- Risk assessment
Understand exposure, controls and the risk that remains.
- Customer due diligence
Understand customers, ownership and verification.
- Additional customer controls
Understand when more information and checks are relevant.
- Monitoring and reporting
Connect ongoing checks with reporting obligations.
- Records and regulatory operations
Understand enrolment, registration, records and regulatory contact.
- Threats and related regimes
Distinguish laundering, financing threats and related controls.
A visual explanation
See the distinction
A share percentage does not explain every way a person can control an entity.
Read the full explanationThe full guide includes sources, conditions and examples.
- Customer
A person other than an individual.
- Ownership route
Identify individuals with ultimate direct or indirect ownership of 25% or more.
- Control route
Separately assess individuals who control the customer under the applicable tests.
- Qualified measures
Check relevant Rules before deciding which enquiries are required.
Two routes to beneficial ownership
Hypothetical example: Person A ultimately owns 25% of the company. Person B has no shares but can determine the composition of its board. Ownership of 25% or more and statutory control are separate routes. This shows selected persons, not a complete ownership chart; other owners are omitted.
Hypothetical example. Example company. Person A: 25% ownership. Person B: Board control.
Choose AML support
Compare a service, test a product and understand the work your business still needs to do.
- How to assess an AML service provider
Check who will do the work, what they will deliver and how you will accept it before you engage an AML adviser or outsourced service.
- How to assess an AML software provider
Test AML software against your own procedures, customer cases and record needs before you buy it.
- Why buying AML software is not enough
Software can support AML work. Your business still needs an approved program, assigned responsibilities and evidence that its procedures are used.
Find your sector
The service and legal conditions determine scope. A profession name alone does not settle it.
- AML for legal practices
A legal practice must assess the designated services it provides; its professional title alone does not determine every obligation.
- AML for accounting practices
An accounting practice should assess its actual services against the professional designated-service rules.
- AML for real estate businesses
Real-estate scope depends on the designated service and arrangement, not simply the value of a property transaction.
- AML for bullion dealers
Bullion dealing has its own AUSTRAC industry guidance and should not be treated as identical to every jewellery business.
- AML for remittance providers
Remittance providers need to distinguish their service role, registration arrangements and international transfer reporting process.
- AML for virtual asset providers
Virtual-asset providers need to assess each service and its applicable commencement or transitional rules.
- Casino AML obligations
Casino guidance connects customer checks with chip purchases, gaming activity, payments and reporting.
- AML for banking services
Banking AML controls need to connect service-level obligations with customer, transaction and reporting information.