ACT New Zealand proposes digital finance and tokenised asset reforms

ACT New Zealand has proposed a series of reforms aimed at modernising the country’s digital finance sector and unlocking its digital economy. The initiative, championed by Deputy ACT Leader Nicole McKee and MP Cameron Luxton, focuses on creating a clear legal and tax framework for tokenised securities and real-world assets.

The proposed reforms include establishing high-standard rules for qualifying payment stablecoins to facilitate faster and cheaper cross-border payments. Additionally, the plan suggests creating a supervised financial innovation sandbox to allow start-ups to trial new financial products under lighter regulatory burdens than large institutions. Other measures include introducing a 12-month bright line for qualifying long-term personal investments in digital assets.