Australia brings lawyers, accountants and real-estate agents under AML rules (Tranche 2)
Australia's AML/CTF reform: from 1 July 2026 obligations cover 'Tranche 2' — lawyers, accountants, real-estate agents and dealers in precious metals. AML Radar signal.
- Jurisdiction
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- Authority
- AUSTRAC (with the Department of Home Affairs)
- Instrument type
- AML/CTF Act reform + Transitional Rules 2026
- In force from
- 01.07.2026 — obligations for Tranche 2 entities (lawyers, accountants, real-estate agents, metals/stones dealers) from 1 July 2026; enrolment by 29 July 2026
Australian law does not bind a Polish or EU company, but this is the cleanest example of a trend heading to the EU too: AML stops being a banks-only matter and reaches lawyers, accountants and real-estate agents. The same wave arrives via the EU AML Regulation (AMLR), applicable from 10 July 2027.
In brief
- What: Australia’s AML/CTF reform takes effect and new, non-financial sectors come under obligations.
- Who issues it: AUSTRAC with the Department of Home Affairs (Australia).
- Status / timing: reform in force from 31 March 2026 for existing entities; Tranche 2 obligations start 1 July 2026.
What changes
From 31 March 2026 the reformed rules apply to existing reporting entities (including crypto exchanges). From 1 July 2026 AML/CTF obligations extend to new “Tranche 2” categories: lawyers, accountants, real-estate agents, dealers in precious metals and stones, and corporate service providers. The 2026 transitional rules provide, among other things, periods to implement the reformed customer due diligence (CDD) procedures and an obligation to notify AUSTRAC of the AML/CTF Compliance Officer (for existing entities the deadline is 30 May 2026; for new entities, 29 July 2026).
Who is affected
Existing reporting entities and — from July 2026 — the Tranche 2 sectors: law firms, accounting practices, real-estate agents, dealers in precious metals and stones, and corporate service providers.
What it means for non-financial firms
Australia is not your jurisdiction, but this may be the most important signal on the whole radar: it shows plainly that AML obligations are moving beyond banks and reaching exactly the sectors Sanqto speaks to — lawyers, accountants and real-estate agents. The same “Tranche 2” logic is built into the EU AML Regulation (AMLR), applicable across the EU from 10 July 2027. In other words: what is happening in Australia today becomes an EU topic within a couple of years. So it is worth checking your sanction screening obligation now — especially if you operate in real estate, a typical addressee of this kind of regulation.
What’s next
The next milestones are the enrolment and Compliance Officer notification deadlines (by 29 July 2026 for new entities). Full text of the rules: AUSTRAC — AML/CTF transitional rules 2026.
AML Radar is an informational monitor, not legal advice. The content is based on publicly available government sources (links above) as of the update date. Facts and dates may change — verify the current status at the source before acting and consult a lawyer where needed.