InFocus November 2025 - Volume 34 Issue 10
- New payment gateway – Stronger payments. Safer business.
- Simplification update - ASIC expands email lodgements.
- New sustainability reporting form – coming soon.
- ASIC launches new breach data dashboard.
- Still using a Trading Name? Time to Register.
- Privacy: Unclaimed Money information – search results.
- How to spot a scam website.
New payment gateway – Stronger payments. Safer business.
We’ve recently upgraded our payment security systems to better protect users from fraud.
Customers who pay by credit card, will now experience a more secure process using the following services:
- Business name registration and renewals.
- Paid search products through ASIC Connect.
- Business name registration and Company incorporations via the Business Registration Service.
The new gateway introduces additional fraud protection measures. In some cases, cardholders may be asked to verify their identity through a one-time-passcode (OTP), biometrics or security questions.
These steps are managed by the cardholder’s bank and helps prevent the use of stolen credit cards and reduces the risk of payment fraud.
To help you understand the changes to the payment process, we've updated our user guides and frequently asked questions.
Visit our website to read ASIC’s Regulatory Simplification report.
Simplification update - ASIC expands email lodgements.
ASIC has transitioned an additional 12 paper-only forms to email lodgement, helping to streamline interactions and reduce administrative burden.
These include share capital notifications, changes to responsible entities, and managed investment scheme forms, selected based on stakeholders' feedback.
While most forms submitted to ASIC are completed online, some still require submission by post. We acknowledge that this dependency on postal services can be inconvenient and time-consuming.
Email offers a faster, more convenient channel for submission for these forms, while paper lodgement remains available for those who prefer the existing postal option.
Over time, we’ll continue to expand the option to lodge via email to support a more convenient and streamlined user experience.
These changes are practical steps toward fully streamlined digital lodgement and payment services in the future, and part of the ongoing simplification work we are doing to make it easier to interact with ASIC.
12 forms recently enabled for email lodgement
To learn more, see Regulatory simplification.
New sustainability reporting form – coming soon.
From early December 2025 we will release a new sustainability reporting form, which large Australian businesses and financial institutions are required to use when lodging their sustainability reports.
Sustainability reporting aims to improve the quality, consistency and comparability of climate-related financial disclosures to enable investors and users of that information to make confident and informed decisions.
Reporting entities will be able to lodge their sustainability reports online via the company officeholder, registered agent, and auditor portals. Sustainability reports must also be audited and an auditor’s report lodged. The sustainability report and related auditor’s report must be lodged together with the new sustainability reporting form. Importantly, entities should complete and lodge the sustainability reporting form separately to Form 388 Copy of financial statements and reports. Form 388 will still be required to be used when lodging financial reports, related auditor’s reports and director’s reports.
When to lodge your sustainability report?
- Disclosing entities, registered schemes and registrable superannuation entities: within three months after the end of the financial year
- Other entities: within four months after the end of the financial year
The reporting requirements will be phased in over three years, across three groups of reporting entities. The new form will be available to entities when lodging their sustainability reports for financial years ending 31 December 2025.
For further information about whether an entity is required to prepare and lodge a sustainability report and if so when, please see Section B of ASIC Regulatory Guide 280 Sustainability reporting (RG 280), particularly Table 2.
For more information about sustainability reporting, visit Sustainability reporting | ASIC.
ASIC launches new breach data dashboard.
You now have access to data on reported breaches of the law by Australian financial services (AFS) and credit licensees through our new dashboard.
This initiative stems from the Reportable Situations (RS) regime, which requires AFS and credit licensees to report compliance breaches to us. Each year, we publish information on these reports.
The dashboard provides aggregate level insights into self-reported breaches, supporting better customer outcomes and stronger compliance practices across the financial services and credit sectors.
What does the dashboard Offer?
- Volume and nature of breaches
- Customer impact and financial loss
- Investigation and rectification of breaches
- Customer compensation and remediation
Explore the dashboard today.
Still using a Trading Name? Time to Register.
If you're operating a business in Australia, it's important to ensure you're trading under a registered business name. While some businesses may still be using trading names recorded in earlier ABN records, the Australian Business Register (ABR) stopped collecting or updating trading names on 28 May 2012.
Trading names collected prior to that date may still appear in ABN Lookup, but they are provided for historical reference only. They hold no legal status, cannot be updated, and shouldn’t be relied upon for business identity or branding. Only business names registered with us are legally recognised and provide the protections and visibility needed to operate confidently.
Why register a Business Name?
- Legal Requirement: If you're trading under a name other than your own personal name or company name, you must register it with us.
- Brand Protection: Registration helps safeguard your business name from being used by others.
- Public Recognition: Registered business names appear on the Business Names Register, helping customers and suppliers verify your business identity.
For guidance on checking current registration status or registering a business name, visit our website.
Privacy: Unclaimed Money information – search results.
On 7 October 2025, an important enhancement was implemented in the Moneysmart search Unclaimed Money (UCM) functionality to strengthen privacy protections.
When searching UCM information, address results now display:
- Suburb
- City
- State
- Postcode
This means street-level details are no longer shown, ensuring personal and sensitive information remains protected.
This change reflects our commitment to valuing privacy while maintaining the integrity of UCM data. By limiting address details, exposure of private information is reduced, without compromising the usefulness of search results.
Learn more about unclaimed money on our website.
Spotlight article from other Government departments or industries
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How to spot a scam website. Online scams are becoming more sophisticated every day. Websites can now be created quickly and look professional with very little effort, thanks to ready-made templates. This makes it harder to tell the difference between a genuine site and a fake one. Staying alert is essential. Whether you’re visiting the website of your bank, insurer, or a government agency, entering your personal details on a fraudulent site can lead to identity theft and financial loss. Take Five Minutes to Protect Yourself The Moneysmart website has shared practical advice to help you check a website’s authenticity. Spending a few minutes checking these details can save you from serious trouble later. Visit Moneysmart for more tips and resources to keep your online experience safe. |