Overview
The Cash Distribution Framework Act 2026 (No. 68, 2026) became law on 26 August 2026. It is administered by the Department of the Treasury. The Act establishes a national framework for regulating how cash is distributed across Australia.
What the Act regulates
The Act targets large entities that provide significant cash distribution services. The source summary describes these as the major infrastructure behind ATMs, bank note supply chains, and similar wholesale cash networks.
The Reserve Bank of Australia designates which entities fall under the rules. The ACCC oversees reporting, agreements, dispute resolution, and service-level standards for those designated entities.
Scope for small businesses
The source summary states that for most small businesses, this Act operates in the background. It regulates the big players in the cash supply chain, not individual businesses that simply accept or use cash.
Key actions
The Act sets out the following actions for relevant parties:
- Businesses involved in providing cash distribution services at a significant scale - such as armoured transport, ATM network operation, or wholesale cash processing - are required to check whether they may be designated by the Reserve Bank under Part 2 of the Act at legislation.gov.au/C2026A00068.
- Designated entities are required to give the ACCC a report upon designation and annual reports on service agreements and access agreements, as set out in Part 3.
- Designated entities are required to ensure all service agreements and access agreements are in writing, include required terms, and apply for approval of standard terms from the ACCC as required under Part 3 Division 4.
- Designated entities are required to comply with crisis readiness obligations in Part 6, including notifying the Reserve Bank of material changes, recapitalisation, restructuring, or appointment of an external administrator.
- The full Act text, including all definitions, commencement provisions, and the complete table of contents, is available at legislation.gov.au/C2026A00068.
This is a plain-English summary for information only, not legal or compliance advice. Always check the official source or consult a qualified professional.