How should the licensing and preparation requirements for this business be confirmed?
May operate authorised APRA-regulated superannuation funds, Small APRA Funds, Approved Deposit Funds or Pooled Superannuation Trusts. SMSF is regulated by ATO and cannot be classified as APRA RSE licensing. The advantage is the ability to lawfully act as the relevant trustee and operate multiple registered entities; registration of each RSE and separate MySuper authorisation, where applicable, are still required.RSE Licensing Guide
RGYS provides support with organising materials, assessing pathways and coordinating with professionals; we are not a licensing or approval authority. Approval, registration status and operating restrictions are subject to official decisions and the actual licence.
Business scope and applicable boundaries
May operate authorised APRA-regulated superannuation funds, Small APRA Funds, Approved Deposit Funds or Pooled Superannuation Trusts. SMSF is regulated by ATO and cannot be classified as APRA RSE licensing. The advantage is the ability to lawfully act as the relevant trustee and operate multiple registered entities; registration of each RSE and separate MySuper authorisation, where applicable, are still required.RSE Licensing Guide
Application eligibility and required information
A legal entity or an eligible group of individual trustees may apply; an individual group is limited to the non-public-offer category. Provide the trust and fund rules, classes and governance, members' best financial interests framework, investment and liquidity strategies, service providers, management/custody arrangements, ORFR, risk, internal and external audits, and applicable audited financial information. Coordinate applications for RSE licensing and ASIC trustee services, dealing or advice AFSL, and provide evidence of personnel capability.
Requirements for shareholders, directors and compliance personnel
SPS 510 requires the majority of directors and senior managers to ordinarily reside in Australia, and the board to have capability in pensions, investment, members’ interests and risk; do not directly apply CPS 510’s five-director and independent-majority requirements. Establish an audit committee with at least three non-executive directors and an independent internal audit function with adequate resources, and assess responsible persons under SPS 520. A group of individual trustees is governed according to its statutory structure; ASIC responsible managers must also demonstrate experience in the applicable services.SPS 510 ASIC INFO 86
Capital and financial resource requirements
There is no bank-style minimum share capital/NTA value that can be applied uniformly to all RSE. SPS 114 requires ORFR targets and tolerance limits to be determined based on operational risk, scale and business complexity. These may be held as independently available reserves within RSE or as trustee capital equivalent to CET1; member account funds or a historical fixed capital/guarantee threshold cannot mechanically be treated as a current general standard. It is also necessary to demonstrate the trustee’s own operating resources, funds for matters such as fines that cannot be borne by the fund, and applicable ASIC financial requirements; ORFR is not registered capital.SPS 114
Registered address and actual operating arrangements
Provide the trustee entity's registered office, principal place of business in Australia and member administration locations, explaining the Australian residency of key senior managers and access to member data, custody arrangements and service providers. For a group of individual trustees, list formal contact and service arrangements; do not conflate the fund trust's address with the trustee company's address.
Application and business preparation process
- Determine the RSE licence category, trust structure and whether MySuper is offered.
- Discuss the business plan, member interests, investments, ORFR and service-provider readiness with APRA.
- Coordinate the ASIC AFSL application as well, using appropriate criminal background and responsible person information.
- Submit the official forms, final board documents and applicable application fee; draft RSE registration/MySuper applications may also be included.
- Resolve formal timing and requests for further information, and obtain the trustee’s RSE licence.
- Commence the corresponding business only after completing each RSE registration and obtaining authorisation for each MySuper product.
Time required and review uncertainty
Official: The SIS Act requires a decision within 90 days after receipt of a RSE licence application, with an extension of up to 30 days; pre-application feedback before formal submission may involve multiple rounds, and AFSL and fund/MySuper processes must be timed separately. Commercial scheduling: do not equate the 90 days with the entire period from company formation to public fundraising; estimate according to the readiness of personnel, the trust, investments and systems.
Changes to shareholders or directors, acquisitions and transfers
RSE licensee's control-stake threshold under the SIS Act is more than 15%, not the 20% applying to FSSA banks/insurers; specific prior approval from APRA is required before acquisition, and associates are aggregated by reference to the definition in FSSA. Changes to intermediate or ultimate holding companies, group acquisitions, share issues and successor fund transfers must all be assessed. On 2026-05-22, APRA announced the final outcome of exemptions for specified classes, covering eligible managers and company secretaries with small direct interests; it did not extend the exemption generally to directors. The instrument takes effect the day after registration on the Federal Register; check the instrument and conditions before relying on it. There is also a specific statutory exception for certain directors' shares. Investor due diligence and assessment of transaction risks to the trustee and members should be substantially completed before submission; merely notifying the target company of a change in shareholders is not sufficient.RSE Control application 2026 exemption-like outcome
Ongoing compliance, renewal and maintenance
Ongoing assessment of members’ best financial interests, strategy and member outcomes, investment risk, liquidity, insurance arrangements, fees and service-provider governance. Review ORFR under SPS 114 at least annually and after significant events; implement a replenishment plan where ORFR falls below the tolerance limit and notify APRA in advance of significant changes to objectives. Maintain RSE/MySuper registration, reporting, audit, applicable FAR and CPS 230. Changes in responsible persons are generally to be reported with the relevant information within 14 days, as required by official guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
I already have AFSL. Can I open a bank or become an insurance underwriter directly?
No. AFSL deals with the relevant financial services permissions; APRA deals with banks and underwriting liabilities subject to prudential regulation. First determine who bears the obligation to repay funds and meet payment obligations under policies, then obtain the required authorisations separately. RSE trustees will also generally need an AFSL coordinated with their RSE licence; it is not a choice between the two.ASIC INFO 86
Do all APRA licences have a capital requirement of five million Australian dollars?
No. General insurance usually requires a prescribed capital amount of five million; life insurance currently requires ten million overall; PHI requires five million for each health benefits fund. New ADI, restricted ADI and PPF each have different formulas, while RSE and RSA use different measurement bases. These figures are not interchangeable with paid-up share capital or NTA figures.
Must every new bank have share capital of fifty million Australian dollars?
This cannot be summarised in this way. The 2021 new entrant framework still linked from the current APRA page generally requires the higher of fifteen million and expenditure for the next nine months before a full ADI is granted. For applicants with significant existing business, the amount is agreed case by case; PCR and a buffer apply thereafter. The bank’s designation, capital standards, actual business and case-specific conditions must all be confirmed; the old blanket claim of fifty million should not be carried forward.
Can a restricted ADI serve the public long-term with lower capital?
No. The restricted pathway is limited to two years and requires transition to a full framework or an orderly exit; limited-customer and deposit conditions apply as set out in the licence. The 2026 consultation reforms remain proposals on the official pages reviewed, so it cannot be said that the restricted ADI has been abolished, nor can the proposed new process be used in advance.
Is approval by APRA guaranteed within 90 days?
No. The usual 90 days for APRA refers to a decision after a substantially complete or final application; the process from initial lodgement to completeness may take 12–18 months. RSE has a statutory period of 90 days, extendable by up to 30 days; PHI has a 90-day deemed-refusal mechanism and a reset when further information is requested; RSA has a 60-day period, extendable by a further 60 days. Commercial preparation and other regulatory processes are not included in a single clock.
Is buying a licensed company necessarily faster than applying for a new licence, and can the business be changed directly?
No guarantee can be given. An acquisition requires checks of change-of-control approval, capital, historical liabilities, key personnel and systems. The existing licence remains with the original entity and remains subject to its conditions; a business or asset sale does not automatically transfer the licence. New products, capital reductions or restructuring after the transaction may require separate approval, and ACCC and foreign investment screening must also be completed before closing.
Does approval for more than 20% under FSSA apply to all entities associated with APRA?
It depends. The regime covers applicable ADI, general insurers, life insurers and their holding companies; aggregate stakes must be traced through and assessed together with associates. RSE uses the SIS Act to require specific approval for a controlling stake, and PHI fund transactions have a separate health insurance mechanism. RFC, ordinary lending or state pawnbrokers are not automatically subject to the same threshold merely because of that registration status.
Can directors be appointed in Hong Kong only, with an Australian virtual registered office address used for the application?
This cannot replace genuine governance. A company may lawfully use a third-party entity’s office address as its registered office, with consent recorded, but APRA also examines local director/management arrangements, genuine operations, systems and access for oversight. CPS 510 and RSE’s SPS 510 differ in Australian residency and director composition requirements; each must be met separately, and a nominal arrangement is not sufficient.
Does RSA approval allow a new fintech company to provide superannuation directly?
No. An RSA applicant must be an eligible constitutional corporation, such as ADI, a life company or a specified financial institution. The form requires NTA information and product-readiness evidence from the CEO/chair, but the form does not verify a separate, uniform RSA minimum NTA amount; the underlying licence and capital must still be in place.
RFC Does registration mean that the company is prudentially regulated by APRA and can accept deposits?
No. APRA explicitly states that RFC is a non-bank financing data registration for entities meeting FSCODA requirements, distinct from prudentially supervised institutions. Current screening of relevant assets/financing is based on the full criteria, including the fifty million threshold, not the old five million minimum capital requirement; registration cannot be promoted as banking or insurance authorisation.
Is there a single Australian PSP or major SVF licence that can be applied for?
The Treasury and RBA 2026 reports reviewed for this guide still describe Tranche 1 as a draft/proposed reform; no final, generally applicable new licence that has passed and commenced has been verified. This guide continues to distinguish current PPF, AFSL, RBA declarations and AUSTRAC obligations; any future regime must be updated according to its actual commencement and transitional provisions.
For ordinary lending, is it sufficient to obtain a money lender licence in just one state?
This should not be interpreted that way. For consumer credit, the primary question is whether there is a ASIC ACL or a valid representative/exemption; certain state-based businesses, such as pawnbrokers, have additional rules. For example, a NSW pawnbroker needs a state licence and must declare its goods premises; this does not authorise it to provide all loans or automatically permit it to operate throughout Australia.
Does an article byline mean that RGYS has obtained APRA or RBA certification?
No. The byline is Drew Tang (Mr Tang/Drew), Rengangyongsheng (Hong Kong) Limited business manager, in English Rengangyongsheng (Hong Kong) Limited. This is a client guide, not a document from a regulatory authority, and it does not claim that the named person or company holds the licences described, is accredited or guarantees client approval.
Official sources and verification notes
Information verified: 5 November 2026. Business classifications do not replace legal definitions; use the latest versions of official webpages and legislation where they are updated.
- User-specified APRA licensing URL: this HTTP returned 404; the original text could not be extracted
- APRA Licensing guidelines for authorised deposit-taking institutions
- APRA ADIs New entrants: a pathway to sustainability, information document linked from the current 2021 page
- APRA ADI licensing consultations: 2026 draft framework and 2021 final framework
- APRA Licensing guidelines for general insurers
- APRA Guidelines on Authorisation of General Insurers: use the structure of the old guidelines only; capital and other matters must be corrected
- APRA Licensing guidelines for life insurers and friendly societies
- APRA Guidelines on registration of life companies: correct the old guidelines against current standards
- APRA Licensing guidelines for private health insurers
- APRA Licensing guidelines for superannuation
- APRA Licensing guidelines for non-operating holding companies
- APRA Licensing process Step 1 Early contact
- APRA Licensing process Step 3 Assessment
- APRA Licensing process frequently asked questions
- APRA Licensing process Step 4 Post-licensing: verify the old AAT, ERF and system references against current requirements
- APRA GPS 110 Capital Adequacy, version effective 2023-07-01
- APRA LPS 110 Capital Adequacy, version effective 2023-07-01
- APRA HPS 110 Capital Adequacy, version effective 2025-01-01
- APRA SPS 114 Operational Risk Financial Requirement, version effective 2025-07-01
- APRA CPS 510 Governance
- APRA SPS 510 Governance, version effective 2024-06-30
- APRA CPS 230 Operational Risk Management, version effective 2026-07-01
- APRA APS 610 Prudential Requirements for Providers of Purchased Payment Facilities
- APRA Apply to own or control an RSE licensee
- APRA RSE final outcome of consultation on control-related exemptions, 2026-05-22: exceeding 15% and exceptions for specified persons
- APRA Instruction Guide Approval to own or control an RSE licensee: 15% and calculation of associates
- ASIC INFO 86 RSE and AFS licensing processes, updated 2025-06
- Australian Government ABLIS Approval as a Retirement Savings Account Institution, 2026–27 fees
- APRA Application form for approval as an RSA institution: includes eligibility, NTA and the 60-day rule; do not carry forward superseded contact details
- APRA Forms for retirement savings account providers
- Australian Government ABLIS Approval to exceed 20% shareholding limit
- Federal Register of Legislation Financial Sector Shareholdings Act 1998: only the table of contents was retrieved for this review; application of the full text requires separate verification
- Federal Register of Legislation Retirement Savings Accounts Act 1997: only the table of contents was retrieved for this review
- RBA Declarations and Exemptions for Purchased Payment Facilities
- RBA Payments System Board Annual Report 2026 Payment regulation and policy
- Treasury Payments licensing reforms:Tranche 1 draft legislation
- APRA Registered Financial Corporations: current 50m test and non-prudential registration
- ASIC Check if you need a credit licence
- ASIC Company addresses
- ASIC Director identification numbers: distinguish current application requirements from the provision of ASIC in 2027
- NSW SIRA CTP insurer standard licence conditions: 2024 sample, not a formal licence for an individual case
- NSW Government Pawnbroker and second-hand dealer licences
- ACCC Mergers and acquisitions: 2026 mandatory regime and September amendments
- Administrative Review Tribunal New federal administrative review body commences,2024-10-14
Notes on corrections to historical information in this guide
The user-specified APRA licensing overview page HTTP returned 404 and fetch returned no body; no claim is made that its historical full text was obtained. apra-source.md records the source gap, an alternative PDF extraction and current evidence.
Do not refer to all APRA-related qualifications as the same type of licence: ADI/general insurance involves authorisation; life insurance/PHI involves registration; RSE requires a trustee licence; RSA requires institutional approval; NOHC is subject to industry authorisation or registration; RFC is data registration only.
Do not retain the old blanket claim that banks require fifty million in capital. The 2021 guidance for new entrants linked from the current official page generally sets initial capital at the higher of 15m or nine months’ operating expenses. Ongoing capital also requires PCR and buffers; for applicants with an already significant business, capital is determined on a case-by-case basis.
A restricted ADI does not require a fixed share capital of five million: initially, 3m plus a usual 1m resolution reserve and three months’ expenses; on an ongoing basis, the higher of 3m plus the reserve and 20% of adjusted assets. There are also limits on customers and deposits, and a maximum two-year period for conversion or exit.
Under current life insurance LPS 110, the overall prescribed capital amount floor is 10m; the 5m figure in older material and legacy management capital and solvency standard numbers should not be carried forward mechanically.
The 5m general insurance and Category D/E 2m amounts are prescribed capital amount floors, not uniform paid-up share capital for all insurers; Category C also has special Australian net asset rules.
For PHI, the minimum prescribed capital amount for each health benefits fund is 5m; a general fund has no uniform minimum amount but remains subject to risk-based capital requirements. For-profit and restricted membership are not two mutually exclusive licences.
RSE ORFR should be determined prudentially under SPS 114, effective in 2025, distinguishing RSE reserves from trustee capital equivalent to CET1; do not rely on unverified former fixed share-capital or guarantee requirements, or a uniform NTA threshold, and do not classify SMSFs as falling under APRA's remit.
RSA is an approval for an eligible underlying institution, not a standalone start-up superannuation licence; the form requires disclosure of NTA, but no separate uniform NTA threshold has been verified; the statutory decision period is 60 days and may be extended by a further 60 days, and the 500 fee is not capital.
Under the current APS 610, the minimum PCR for a PPF with stored-value risk is 4% of outstanding stored-value liabilities, with an equivalent amount of high-quality liquid assets also required; the former uniform 5m PPF capital requirement does not apply.
For FSSA banks/insurers, a stake generally exceeding 20% requires tracing through associates; RSE applies a specific approval threshold of more than 15% control under SIS, not 20%. The 2026 exemption for certain classes does not generally extend to directors; verify against the formal instrument register and conditions. Transactions involving PHI funds follow a separate health insurance mechanism, and being a RFC/ordinary lender/state pawnbroker does not automatically trigger FSSA.
For APRA, the 90-day period is usually considered from the substantially complete/final application stage, while 12–18 months is a possible iterative period; silence under the PHI regime is usually treated as refusal, not automatic approval; commercial schedules are not guaranteed.
The 2026 ADI licensing reforms and PSP Tranche 1 remain consultation drafts on the official pages reviewed; do not state that restricted ADI has been abolished or that the new major SVF licence is in force.
FAR took effect for banks on 2024-03-15 and for insurance and superannuation on 2025-03-15. The new version of CPS 230 reviewed took effect on 2026-07-01; the old 231/232 should no longer be treated as the unchanged current primary framework.
AAT was replaced by ART on 2024-10-14; the name of the review body on the old APRA page should not be carried over directly. Review eligibility and time limits must still be verified against the specific decision.
RFC The current official AUD 50m relevant assets/financing screening threshold must not be described as the old 5m minimum capital or as a APRA prudential banking licence; the full business and exclusion criteria must be reviewed.
Mandatory prior merger filings for transactions meeting the thresholds set by ACCC took effect on 2026-01-01, with changes on 2026-09-16. Do not rely on historical statements that prior notification is not required.
Applying for a director ID before appointment is a current obligation. The new requirement for companies to submit ID to ASIC takes effect on 2027-07-01 and must not be described as having taken effect in 2026.
The state-law supplement uses the NSW CTP sample read and pawnbroker licensing as examples; it does not claim fixed capital or time requirements covering every state. The CTP sample is not a formal licence for an individual case, and ordinary consumer credit must still be assessed separately under ACL.
The specified attribution identifies only the guide’s author and business contact details; it does not claim that Drew Tang or RGYS has regulatory accreditation for this article, holds the licence described or guarantees approval.
This article was prepared by Rengangyongsheng (Hong Kong) Limited, with business explanations provided by Drew Tang ( Mr Tang) Business Manager. It is general information and does not replace advice on an individual matter from an Australian lawyer, tax adviser or regulator.


