ASIC sets plan to be easier to deal with, harder to avoid

ASIC released its Corporate Plan 2026 to 2027 on 26 August 2026, setting out the regulator's supervisory and enforcement priorities for the year ahead alongside a commitment to reduce unnecessary regulatory burden for compliant businesses. ASIC Chair Sarah Court said the plan responds to a financial system reshaped by rapid technological change, evolving markets and continuing cost of living pressure on households and small businesses, and framed the approach as reducing friction for those trying to comply while making it harder for those causing harm to avoid scrutiny.

On consumer protection, the plan identifies scams, predatory debt collection, insurance claims handled by intermediaries in disaster-affected communities, buy now pay later products and superannuation advice fee deductions as priority areas. ASIC also flagged it will lift its focus on artificial intelligence, including how banks use AI in customer-facing services, how AI may affect consumers and investors, and AI-driven manipulation, deepfakes and misinformation. Managed investment schemes also feature among the areas of attention described in the plan. Alongside these priorities, ASIC pointed to a record year of enforcement outcomes just completed, citing 830 million dollars in civil penalty orders secured and 644 million dollars returned to Australians in the 2025 to 2026 financial year, and committed to simpler guidance and faster licensing processes for industry.

A corporate plan is a statement of regulatory intent and resourcing priorities rather than a change to the law, and it does not itself create new obligations. It does, however, indicate where ASIC is most likely to direct supervisory attention, information requests and enforcement resources over the coming year, and follows a similar approach taken in APRA's own 2026 to 2027 corporate plan covering overlapping themes such as artificial intelligence and operational resilience.