Block Earner has received an Australian Credit Licence from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, becoming the first digital asset platform in Australia to hold its own licence to offer regulated credit products.
The licence allows Block Earner to originate, underwrite and offer digital asset-backed lending directly, rather than operating through another licence holder. Until now, it had acted as a credit representative of Mortgage Direct under the existing framework.
The approval creates a regulated pathway for eligible customers to use digital assets as collateral for credit. Block Earner has focused on lending products linked to crypto holdings, as more Australians hold digital assets and seek ways to use them without selling.
That strategy gained attention with the launch of its Bitcoin-backed home loan in July 2025. The company said the product generated more than $500 million in mortgage demand at the waitlist stage.
The approval also formalises senior oversight of the lending business. Charlie Karaboga, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, and James Coombes, Chief Commercial Officer, have been appointed responsible managers under the licence.
Australia's digital asset sector has faced an uneven regulatory path, with firms often operating through existing financial services structures while policymakers consider broader market rules. Against that backdrop, Block Earner's approval is a notable development for a sector seeking clearer treatment within mainstream financial regulation.
Executives described the move as both a business milestone and a sign of closer alignment between crypto-linked products and Australia's credit regime.
"Securing this Australian Credit Licence is a significant milestone for Block Earner and for Australia's digital asset industry. For the first time, a digital asset platform in Australia can provide credit products under its own Australian Credit Licence, creating a regulated pathway for customers to use digital assets as security for credit," said Charlie Karaboga, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer.
"We welcome ASIC's continued progress in providing a clear pathway for firms in this space. Digital assets are becoming an increasingly common store of wealth for Australians. As that happens, it is important that products built around those assets are brought within established regulatory frameworks that support transparency, responsible lending and appropriate consumer protections."
"Operating with strong governance and responsible lending has always been our priority. As a registered Virtual Asset Service Provider now holding an ACL, we are proud to be shaping a compliant, disciplined future for the digital asset economy in Australia and globally," said Karaboga.
More than 4 million Australians now hold digital assets, according to Block Earner. That investor base has prompted financial firms to test whether crypto holdings can be recognised in more conventional lending products, particularly in property finance, where borrowers may be asset-rich but cash-constrained.
Board changes
Alongside the licence, Block Earner has added two senior figures to its board. Simon Cant, co-founder and managing partner of Reinventure and founding president of FinTech Australia, has joined, along with Shiau Sin Yen, co-founder and managing partner of Titan Fund at CMCC Global, who previously held senior leadership roles at UBS.
The appointments add experience in regulation, investment and institutional finance as the company expands its lending operations under the new licence. They also point to a push to strengthen governance as digital asset businesses move further into areas more squarely covered by traditional financial regulation.
Block Earner is already registered with AUSTRAC as a digital currency exchange provider. It is also pursuing an Australian Financial Services Licence as Australia develops a broader Digital Assets Framework, which is expected to bring more of the sector within the financial services licensing system.
For companies, that shift could reduce reliance on improvised structures and make it easier to launch products that fit within established regulatory categories. For regulators, it offers a way to apply familiar standards on lending, disclosure and consumer protection to products backed by newer forms of wealth.
Coombes said the licence reflected a broader change in the market.
"Securing an Australian Credit Licence is a major step for Block Earner and reflects the increasing maturity of Australia's digital asset sector. Digital assets are now part of the wealth picture for millions of Australians. The next phase is about ensuring those assets can be used within regulated financial products that meet the standards expected of Australia's credit system.
"As the first digital asset specialist to obtain an Australian Credit Licence for this purpose, Block Earner is reinforcing its commitment to building within Australia's established regulatory framework," said James Coombes, Chief Commercial Officer.