John Bassilios
Partner and Fintech and Blockchain Lead
John advises Australian and international fund managers, as well as fintech, payments, digital asset and financial services businesses on licensing, regulation and commercialisation.
He is recognised for advising on Australian financial services licences (AFSLs), Australian credit licences (ACLs) for consumer credit, payment systems regulation, crypto exchanges, stablecoins, digital asset products, tokenisation, managed investment schemes, anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism finance (AML/CTF) compliance and financial services regulation and compliance.
John is one of Australia’s leading lawyers at the intersection of financial services regulation, payments, digital assets and emerging financial infrastructure. John is also recognised as a leading Fintech and Blockchain lawyer, is ranked in Chambers for FinTech, recognised by Legal 500 as a Next Generation Partner, and was previously a Director & Secretary on the Board of the Digital Economy Council of Australia (previously Blockchain Australia, the peak Blockchain industry body), for six years
John has acted for a wide range of financial services providers (both startups and established industry providers), including payment service providers, crypto exchanges, digital asset issuers, stablecoin issuers, tokenisation platforms, neobanks, embedded finance providers, fund managers, investment advisors, financial planners, stockbrokers, IDPS operators, managed discretionary account providers and consumer credit providers. He has advised financial services providers on all aspects of managed investment schemes, AFSL and ACL licensing, payment facility licensing, disclosure requirements, and ongoing compliance with regulatory requirements.
John has extensive experience advising financial services industry participants on the establishment and development of various financial products, including payment platforms, digital wallets, stored-value facilities and BNPL products, as well as the preparation of disclosure documents such as financial services guides, product disclosure statements and information memoranda.
John also advises on payments regulation, including the Payment Systems (Regulation) Act, Treasury’s payment licensing reforms, RBA regulation of payment systems, and the regulatory framework for payment facilitators, merchant acquirers and payment gateways.
John has significant experience in blockchain and digital asset matters, including advising on and establishing cryptocurrency exchanges (including AFSL for crypto exchanges), structuring tokenised investment products, crypto fund establishment, digital asset custody, advising on stablecoin regulatory frameworks, obtaining AFSLs for fintech businesses, payments licensing, preparing AML/CTF programs, and advising on Security Token Offerings (STOs), RWA tokenisation and token sales in Australia.
John’s clients include fund managers, trustees and responsible entities, financial advisors, payment service providers, payment facilitators, crypto exchanges, digital asset issuers, stablecoin issuers, tokenisation platforms, wealthtech companies, fx dealers, stockbrokers, neobanks, embedded finance providers, and international fintechs entering Australia.
John advises clients on practical regulatory questions, including:
- Do I need an AFSL?
- Do I need an ACL?
- Is my token a financial product?
- Does my payment platform require a licence?
- Is my stablecoin regulated?
- Can I launch a crypto exchange in Australia?
- Is my rewards program a financial product?
- Do I need an AML program?
'John Bassilios is very efficient and effective.'
Chambers FinTech Legal 2026 Guide
Experience
Cryptocurrency exchanges and digital assets
- Advising ZebPay, Nexo, Ripple, WhiteBIT, CoinW and other international exchanges on entry into the Australian market, including corporate establishment, AFSL requirements, AUSTRAC registration, AML/CTF compliance and customer agreements.
Applying for an AFSL for various clients as a result of changes to ASIC Information Sheet 225, including Updtrade, Nax Capital, Globiance, Xago and Non Correlated Capital.
- Providing ongoing legal advice to the cryptocurrency brokerage across Caleb & Brown’s business operations.
- Kraken group: advising Beaufort Fiduciaries on establishing the Kraken Yield Trust, a wholesale fund providing pooled exposure to Ethereum staking.
- Advising Vasco Trustees on the Monochrome Bitcoin and Ethereum exchange traded funds.
- Advising Faculty Group on establishing a retail investment fund lending cryptocurrency and tokens to DeFi protocols.
- Advising TreeCoin Assets on financial services and AML/CTF regulation for a blockchain-based carbon token project.
Fintech, payments and financial services
- Advising OpenMarkets Australia on blockchain-based trading, clearing and settlement infrastructure for tokenised financial products, including Australian market and clearing and settlement facility licensing.
- Advising Openmarkets Group on conducting cross-disciplinary due diligence across 10 entities in connection with a proposed NYSE listing via a de-SPAC transaction.
- Advising WEX Australia on the procurement and implementation of a merchant terminal solution, including supplier risk assessments and contract negotiations.
- Advising SNUG on the development and regulatory structuring of an innovative home equity release product.
- Advising MyAssetPay on the launch of an online pawnbroking service offering loans secured against alternative assets.
- Assisting IBA with AFSL, ACL and authorised deposit-taking institution (ADI) applications.
Blockchain, tokenisation and investment funds
- Advising Luxivana Master Fund on establishing a tokenisation platform structured as a wholesale managed investment scheme.
- Advising Mezfi on establishing a tokenised retail mezzanine finance feeder fund.
- Advising Liquid Noble on the financial product classification of precious-metals-backed digital tokens and reviewing the associated whitepaper.
- Advising YourCryptoLink on a B2B platform enabling financial advisors to provide cryptocurrency investment services, integrating KYC, AML/CTF checks and trade execution.
- Advising Minke on the offering of a digital wallet providing access to decentralised finance protocols.
- Advising Conduit Digital Holdings on the AFSL implications of promoting an offshore tokenised money market fund in Australia.
Financial Services & Funds Management
- Advised Kilara Capital on establishing the $34 million Kilara Growth Fund, Australia’s first climate-focused growth private equity fund.
- Advising Islamic Bank Australia on becoming the first Islamic bank licensed in Australia.
- Advising DomaCom on structuring and establishing an innovative fractional property investment platform comprising a registered managed investment scheme with each property held in a separate sub-trust through a distinct class of units.
- Acting for Bennelong Funds Management on its PDSs, establishing new joint ventures with investment managers, and establishing new funds.
- Acting for the responsible entity and fund manager in the proposed Pacific Retail REIT IPO which involved the potential acquisition of five sub-regional shopping centres and a $370 million capital raising.
- Acting for APN on the listing of the APN National Storage Trust on the ASX.
- Advising Newmark Capital on its AFSL, a $30 million wholesale property fund for the Chadstone Lifestyle Centre, the $83 million acquisition of 417 St Kilda Road, and establishing the Newmark Hardware Property Trust No. 1.
- Acting for AR Capital in establishing the Ascot Fund (hedge fund) and the Ascot (Cayman) Fund (a Cayman Island feeder fund for the Ascot Fund).
- Advising AXA Asia Pacific subsidiaries on a capital guaranteed IDPS, including advice on directors’ duties and liability.
- Advising APN Property Group and APN Funds Management on various commercial and financial services matters, including establishing funds and preparing PDSs.
- Providing commercial and financial services advice to Bendigo and Adelaide Bank and Sandhurst Trustees.
- Advising large trustee organisations on their obligations relating to banking and finance matters.
Awards and Recognition
Chambers FinTech Guide
FinTech Legal | 2024-2026
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific
Next Generation Partner | Fintech and financial services regulatory | 2024-2026
Memberships
- Trusted Adviser - Frank Lab (Hall & Wilcox Start Up Accelerator)
- Director, Blockchain Australia
- Director, Foundation of International Blockchain and Real Estate Expertise
- Course Mentor, RMIT Blockchain Strategy Course
- Cohort Mentor, REACH Australia
- Blockchain Working Group, FinTech Australia
- Mentor, Stone & Chalk
John Bassilios is the author of the Australian chapter of Lexology’s leading global guide Getting the Deal Through - Fintech, highlighting John's expertise in financial regulation, financial crime, distributed ledger technology, crypto assets and other emerging areas shaping financial services.
John Bassilios authored a feature article on Crypto Regulation in Australia for The International Journal of Blockchain Law, showcasing deep insight into one of the most rapidly evolving areas of financial regulation.
