Overview
The Travel Rule is a regulatory requirement that applies to Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) such as cryptocurrency exchanges and wallet providers, when transferring digital assets between platforms.
When you send crypto from Caleb & Brown to another exchange or wallet, or receive crypto from one, we are required to collect and verify information about the sender or recipient. This is similar to how traditional bank transfers have worked for decades; the same rules that apply to wire transfers now apply to crypto.
These steps help ensure that your funds reach the right person, safely and securely, every time.
In Australia, the Travel Rule is enforced by AUSTRAC (the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre) under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act. Compliance is required from 1 July 2026.
Why the Travel Rule exists
The Travel Rule is a key component of a global effort to make the financial system safer. For cryptocurrency, it aims to increase transparency and traceability for transactions between different exchanges and platforms. By requiring platforms to identify both the sender and the recipient of funds, it becomes harder for bad actors to use digital assets for illicit purposes and easier for law enforcement to investigate when something does go wrong.
How the Travel Rule benefits you
While the additional steps may seem like extra friction, they make crypto safer for everyone. Benefits for Caleb & Brown clients include:
When does the Travel Rule apply?
In Australia, the Travel Rule applies to all virtual asset transfers there is no minimum transaction value from 1 July 2026. Every time you send crypto from Caleb & Brown to an external platform, or receive crypto from one, the Travel Rule obligations apply.
Not affected: Trades within your Caleb & Brown account are not affected.
What does this mean for you?
For transfers that require Travel Rule information, you may be asked to:
Confirm whether you own the destination wallet, or whether you are sending to another person.
Identify the wallet type — whether it is a centralised exchange (e.g. Binance, Coinbase) or a self-hosted wallet (e.g. MetaMask, Phantom).
If you are sending to a centralised exchange, Caleb & Brown will verify the receiving platform as part of our compliance checks. If you are sending to a self-hosted wallet, you may be asked to verify ownership of the wallet.
Important: Ensure the recipient details you provide are accurate to avoid processing delays. |
Please note: You will only need to provide this information once per withdrawal address, not every time you send funds to that address. Some transactions may take slightly longer to process while we complete the required checks. |
To ensure our approach to the Travel Rule adheres to regulations, we use a trusted third-party provider, Notabene. Notabene is a platform for crypto compliance and fraud prevention. You can learn more about how your information is processed within their Privacy Policy.
What changes, and what stays the same
Most of your experience with Caleb & Brown is unchanged. Here is a quick summary of what is new — and what stays exactly as it is.
Frequently asked questions
What is AUSTRAC?
What is AUSTRAC?
AUSTRAC is the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, Australia's financial intelligence agency and AML/CTF regulator. AUSTRAC oversees compliance with the Travel Rule for cryptocurrency businesses operating in Australia.
What is a VASP?
What is a VASP?
VASP stands for Virtual Asset Service Provider, the term used in Travel Rule legislation for cryptocurrency exchanges and wallet providers.
Is there a minimum transaction amount?
Is there a minimum transaction amount?
No. In Australia, the Travel Rule applies to all transfers regardless of value.
How long does the Travel Rule check take?
How long does the Travel Rule check take?
For platforms already within our Travel Rule provider's network, checks typically take a matter of seconds. In some cases, additional manual review may be required, which can take longer.
Will I need to provide information every time I withdraw?
Will I need to provide information every time I withdraw?
Once we have collected and verified your wallet information, we can re-use it for future transactions. However, a Travel Rule check will still be performed for each qualifying transfer.
Does this affect deposits into my Caleb & Brown account?
Does this affect deposits into my Caleb & Brown account?
Yes. The Travel Rule also applies when you deposit crypto from an external platform into your Caleb & Brown account. The sending platform has obligations to pass on originator information, and Caleb & Brown has obligations to monitor that this information has been received.
What if I refuse to provide the information?
What if I refuse to provide the information?
This is a legal requirement, not a discretionary policy. If the required information is not provided, we are obligated to hold or reject the transfer — the same way a bank cannot process a wire transfer without a recipient name. Your dedicated broker can walk you through exactly what is needed.
Still have questions?
Your dedicated broker is here to help you through any part of this.