The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has expressed its support for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission's (ASIC) decision to grant a clearing and settlement facility licence to Clearstream Banking S.A. Clearstream is a key participant in the Australian debt securities market.

The RBA emphasized the importance of having adequate oversight of clearing and settlement facilities operating within Australia. The newly granted licence by ASIC will aid in this regulatory oversight.

An initial licensing assessment of Clearstream has been completed by the RBA, evaluating it against obligations outlined under Part 7.3 of the Corporations Act 2001. Furthermore, the RBA and ASIC have established a memorandum of understanding with Clearstream's home regulators, Banque centrale du Luxembourg and the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier. The RBA will depend on these home regulators' supervision where applicable, aligning with its approach to supervising and assessing clearing and settlement facility licensees.