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PayDay News | Australian Payments News

AUSTRAC audit clouds Airwallex IPO and highlights cross-border regulatory risk

Senior Business Correspondent
28 Jan, 2026
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Michael Sainsbury
Senior Business Correspondent
28 Jan, 2026
Add us as a preferred source on Google
The planned float of Australian fintech Airwallex has been thrown into doubt after AUSTRAC ordered an independent audit over concerns its payments systems may be failing to detect serious financial crime, including child sexual exploitation — sharpening investor focus on governance and bank relationships.
AUSTRAC audit clouds Airwallex IPO and highlights cross-border regulatory risk
AUSTRAC chief executive Brendan Thomas says the regulator had concerns about Airwallex’s transaction-monitoring capability, customer due-diligence processes and oversight of suspicious-matter reporting.

The planned float of Australian fintech Airwallex has been thrown into doubt after AUSTRAC ordered an independent audit over concerns its payments systems may be failing to detect serious financial crime, including child sexual exploitation — sharpening investor focus on governance and bank relationships.

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