Mizu Ardra is a Partner in the Financial Services Advisory team and a trusted adviser to leading fintechs, financial institutions, and fund managers. She has deep expertise in payments regulation, consumer credit, retail financial services, and financial crime laws (including anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing, sanctions, and anti-bribery). She is also recognised as a leader in Australia on emerging financial technologies such as tokenisation, blockchain, crypto-assets, digital platforms and use of AI in financial services.
Mizu has acted on some of Australia’s most high-profile fund establishments, providing end-to-end regulatory support on fund structuring, licensing, governance, and operational frameworks. Her work spans advising on innovative financial products, digital asset offerings, and complex regulatory change projects for both established players and market disruptors.
Beyond financial services, Mizu also regularly advises business involved in space activities. Mizu is an amateur astronomer with a keen interest in space law and the legal frontiers of emerging technologies.
Expertise
Experience
- Leading Australian Private Equity Fund Providing end to end regulatory advice on the establishment of the fund.
- A major authorised deposit-taking institution Advising in relation to ASIC investigation and remediation relating to consumer credit insurance mis-selling breaches.
- A large bank Advising on various aspects of their credit card portfolio including drafting and negotiating several white labelling arrangements with distribution partners.
- Various Fintechs Providing advice in relation to the requirement to hold an Australian Financial Services Licence and enrol with AUSTRAC; advice included analysing various exemptions considering different business models.
- Various VC and Managed Funds Advising on the documentation and regulatory requirements of establishing and operating the relevant fund.
- Leading Australian Crypto Exchanges Advising on various regulations including the application of financial services laws and anti-money laundering laws.
- Various clients Advising on structuring tokenisation projects or projects using digital assets.
- A major Australian bank Providing advice on all aspects of their Design and Distribution Obligations implementation project including specific advice relating to home loans, personal loans and overdrafts.
- A major Australian BankAdvising on whether certain elements of the processes created responsible lending breach risks and possible mitigation steps available including advice on engagement with ASIC.
