The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has initiated legal proceedings in the Federal Court against ASX Limited, Australia’s largest market operator. The case centers on allegations that ASX made misleading statements regarding its Clearing House Electronic Subregister System (CHESS) replacement project.

ASIC Challenges ASX Claims

ASIC alleges that announcements made by ASX on 10 February 2022, claiming that the CHESS replacement project was “on-track for go-live” in April 2023 and “progressing well,” were misleading.

According to ASIC, these statements suggested that the project was adhering to ASX's announced plan and was expected to meet future milestones, including the planned go-live date in April 2023.

ASIC contends that these representations were deceptive because, at the time of the announcements, the project was not tracking to plan, and ASX had no reasonable basis to imply it would meet the projected milestones.

ASX Accountability under Scrutiny

ASIC Chair Joe Longo emphasized the seriousness of the allegations, stating that the integrity of the market relies on the accuracy of ASX’s statements. “ASX’s statements go to the heart of trust in the integrity of our markets,” Longo said. He characterized the situation as a “collective failure” by the ASX Board and senior executives at the time.

Longo further explained that companies and market participants depend on ASX’s communications to make informed decisions and investments. He noted that the CHESS replacement project is a significant technology initiative, critical to the operation of the Australian economy.

“Its critical importance was all the more reason ASX needed to ensure it told the Australian public the truth about how the project was tracking and whether it would be completed on time,” Longo added.

ASIC alleges that the true situation as of 10 February 2022 was that the project was not “progressing well,” contradicting ASX’s public statements. The project eventually faced delays and was paused in November 2022, leading to significant costs for ASX and market participants who had relied on the earlier assurances.

ASIC Pursues ASX Penalty

ASIC has not yet determined the penalty it will seek for the alleged contraventions by ASX. However, this case follows a recent series of actions by ASIC, including a penalty of $1,050,000 imposed on ASX in March 2024 for non-compliance with market integrity rules and enforcement actions against other market participants, as reported by Finance Magnates.

On 28 March 2022, approximately six weeks after the contested statements, ASX announced the likelihood of further delays to the April 2023 go-live date. Subsequently, ASX engaged Accenture to review the project. The Accenture Report highlighted significant challenges with the solution design and its ability to meet ASX's requirements, leading ASX to pause the project and write down $250 million in costs.

ASIC's legal action underscores its commitment to maintaining confidence in the integrity of the Australian market, particularly given ASX's role in corporate governance and the management of critical national infrastructure.