Directors at the ECB recently suggested how people never holding bitcoin would be worse off than those who did. A sentiment that has been growing as banks and countries across the world have stepped up their crypto ambitions in 2025. Australia has been affected just like any country, with rising numbers of crypto investors. In today’s story we look at the rise of popularity of crypto amongst investors in Australia with Perth-based Alpha Node.
In 2022 the CEO of Blockchain Australia, Steve Vallas, shared how Australia has been a latecomer to blockchain, crypto, and Web3. Fortunately things have changed for those down under. Australia has always been a country that embraces innovation, for example Wi-Fi hotspots are thanks to an Australian company called CSIRO.
Today Australian investors are turning to crypto and when it comes to Western Australia one firm was an early innovator in the space, Perth-based Alpha Node Capital, or Alpha Node. We reached out to Ben Ritchie, Managing Director at Alpha Node, to find out more about the rise of popularity of crypto down under.
What is Alpha Node and What Does it Offer Investors?
Unlike other investment funds, Alpha Node offers something more. The company provides innovative financial products to institutional investors and high net worth individuals. This includes investing, staking, and storing digital assets like bitcoin, ETH, and a host of other tokenized securities.
It’s the staking which Alpha Node provides which stood out the most. Normally this is done through an exchange or using a DeFi protocol. Alpha Node provides a concierge approach to staking for wholesale investors on multiple blockchains, by leveraging off its cold wallet storage facility and integrating with some of the leading staking proviers. The company also provides a Crypto Treasury Management service.
Ben explained how Alpha Node has an Australian Financial Services (AFS) licence issued by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) since 2017.
Another important point to note is that Alpha Node, like Coinbase, offers a Digital Asset Vault. In collaboration with Ledger Enterprise, clients get access to unique hardware-based security architecture. Funds are also insured through Ledger Enterprise’s insurance program providing $150 million coverage on their custody technology.
Perth is normally known for its natural resources, not for the types of digital asset products that Alpha Node offers. The innovative company offers clients two investment funds, the Alpha Prime Trust and the Digital Fund. It is also highly active in both the local Perth, Australian, and wider ASEAN crypto ecosystem.
“Our license also authorises us to act as a Trustee,” Ben shared. The teams experience is well established within the sector, not only acting as Trustee for their own funds, but having previously worked with the Australian Asset Manager Monochrome. Monochrome recently launched the first Spot Bitcoin ETF in Australia.
“We have been engaged by other financial services companies to advise on best trade execution, investment strategies, portfolio construction, and licensing,” Ben elaborated. This is because Alpha Node was so early in the space in Australia. It has experienced bear and bull markets, allowing the firm to offer guidance to others. It also must keep up with regulation which is in the process of change in Australia today. More at the end of today’s story.
How Easy is it for Australian Crypto Investors to work with Banks?
Everyone is looking for the best crypto token or fund in the world to invest in next. But they still must use fiat currency to invest in it. Banks all around the world continue to be reluctant to work with crypto players. HSBC has been one of the banks that has stopped all payments to cryptocurrency exchanges made by its Australian customers. Commbank has also stated that it will decline and hold certain payments to cryptocurrency exchanges.
Crypto.com acquired local brokerage and trading company (Fintek) in Australia in November. Paving the way to easier access to crypto investing. Companies with Australian Financial Services Licences like Fintek or Alpha Node can work with banks without any restrictions, they aren’t classed as cryptocurrency exchanges. Many exchanges have licences, over 100 of them. But there remains significant friction from banks in Australia looking to avoid being sued by ASIC like HSBC has been. It is about the number of scams involving cryptocurrencies that is driving banks to be less co-operative. ASIC has focused on this area as a hot spot.
Alpha Node has developed strong banking and counterparty relationships allowing Alpha Node operations to perform quickly, with crypto transactions execued and settled typically within four hours from request. Alpha Node, with its deep experience in the market, has developed partnerships with ecosystem players that allows it to operate without impediment. This is not the case for many investors in Australia today, who are hampered in their attempts to safely and easily trade crypto.
What Investors Should Consider with Crypto
Ben is a veteran in crypto investment. He believes that customers need more comfort from individual crypto tokens, especially the newest and less known ones. Some of which have risen in popularity as well as price. The digital assets sector is still very much in its infancy. Investors need to remain cautious about what they invest in. Investors all over the world are seeing generous returns from these smaller tokens, some are losing. Regulating initial coin offerings (ICO) would help quell a lot of concerns, Ben believes.
Going forward, we may be seeing a return to utility tokens, Ben shared. The memecoins of 2024 will subside and layer one blockchains like SOL and ETH will strengthen as further utilities and DApps help drive their network effect and make an impact in the market.
He also believes that it is important to identify if you are a trader or an investor when approaching any investment, but crypto especially. Many older hands in the crypto space extoll the merits of thinking long term with crypto. Ben is no different. Trading cryptocurrencies can be risky. Investing in the long term has a better track record.
“If you have bitcoin, put it aside,” Ben explained. “Many people don’t. They trade their bitcoin for ETH and SOL and others, and before they know it they are left with a small percentage of their initial stake.”
People are keen to find out more in Perth. Ben just hosted two sold-out events for investors looking to learn about crypto in Self Managed Super Funds. The rise of popularity of crypto in Australia is ongoing.
Ben is also a non-executive director at a micro savings app called Bamboo. It is an app that helps you put small amounts into crypto or precious metals as part of an investment portfolio. But small scale. Ben has encouraged his kids to use the app and save some of their pocket money each month. The returns have really helped to foster an investment mindset. A great Australian company.
Navigating Digital Assets in 2025 with Alpha Node
In January Alpha Node published ‘Navigating Digital Assets in 2025’. Ben shared Alpha Node’s outlook for 2025, covering market predictions, regulatory challenges, and emerging opportunities across digital assets.
Aussie Made Crypto
2025 is a big year for crypto in Australia. There are two Australian tokens that readers may want to familiarize themselves with. Synthetix and Illuvium are both available to trade on Coinbase.
Synthetix allows users to trade synthetic assets, called Synths. These synths mirror the value of real-world assets like currencies, commodities, or other cryptos.
Illuvium is an open-world fantasy battle game built on the Ethereum blockchain by a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). It is a token built for gamers to buy NFTs and play with their Illuvials.
The Black Swan Summit in Perth
With the Black Swan Summit only a few weeks away on the 24th to 26th of March, the Western Australian capital is well placed to help promote the importance of crypto amongst Western Australians.
Speakers at the event represent companies such as CSIRO (the company behind Wi-Fi hotspots), and several other prominent Australian businesses. Australian government agencies are also represented at the event which will focus on topics like a ‘Blueprint for Digital Assets’ or a ‘Roadmap for AI and Quantum’. Join Ben and others at this vitally important summit taking place in just under a month. Apply to attend today.
Australia’s regulatory landscape is going through a transformation. At the same time more and more Aussies are trying to take advantage of the opportunities that crypto can offer for long-term investors. It’s encouraging to see Ben’s energy and enthusiasm for the future of crypto. His insights are even more valuable as we witness the rise of popularity of crypto down under.
Author: Andy Samu
#BlackSwanSummit #BlackSwanSummit2025
The editorial team at #DisruptionBanking has taken all precautions to ensure that no persons or organizations have been adversely affected or offered any sort of financial advice in this article. This article is most definitely not financial advice.
See Also:
Seeking Alpha in DeFi with Digital Opportunities Group | Disruption Banking
Alternatives in your Retirement Plan with Alto | Disruption Banking
How Perth, WA, Became a Financial Hub | Disruption Banking
About Crypto Regulation in Australia
It was just last month that a new CEO was appointed at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). Scott Gregson, the new CEO, joins from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). He will lead the next phase of a transformation currently taking place at ASIC.
Concurrently there is consultation paper that seeks feedback on digital asset guidance which ASIC has released. The deadline is this Friday. ASIC will be looking to propose new crypto licensing rules for Australia. It’s all part of ASIC’s program of transformation focused on protecting consumers, reducing costs for businesses, and strengthening capabilities.
The regulator means business. ASIC recently won a case against Kraken for unlawfully issuing a credit facility to Australians. Binance Australia Derivatives is also in the firing line after misclassifying clients.
This has all taken place since December 2024.
ASIC and AUSTRAC
ASIC isn’t the only Australian government organization flexing its muscles. There is also the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre or AUSTRAC, with its own crypto taskforce. AUSTRAC acted against 13 remittance and digital currency exchange providers two weeks ago.
“The blitz follows AUSTRAC’s analysis that identified systemic non-reporting and under-reporting in the remittance and digital currency exchange sectors,” CEO of AUSTRAC, Brendan Thomas said.
ASIC and AUSTRAC both work to tackle bad actors in Australia’s crypto landscape. Is the regulation in place or in process fit to address the needs of an ever-expanding crypto investor base? Many Australians will be hoping that the ongoing transformation will address any shortcomings.
