ShieldBox
🇺🇸 USA · Australian-founded but US/Netherlands-hostedHigh Risk · ASIC RG 7 + APRA CPS 234

Fastmail vs ShieldBox
for Financial Services
in Australia

Financial advisers, accountants, and APRA-regulated entities need email that satisfies ASIC record-keeping and APRA CPS 234 obligations. See why Australian financial services businesses are switching from Fastmail to ShieldBox.

Financial Services Verdict
Fastmail vs ShieldBox · Australia

Fastmail is Australian-owned but not Australian-hosted. Your emails sit on US servers — making them subject to the CLOUD Act and outside Privacy Act jurisdiction. No ASD Essential Eight alignment for regulated sector use.

Australian servers
Fastmail
ShieldBox
ASD Essential Eight aligned
Fastmail
ShieldBox
Privacy Act compliant
Fastmail
ShieldBox
CLOUD Act immune
Fastmail
ShieldBox
Privacy Act 1988 Compliant
100% Australian Servers
AES-256 Encrypted
ISO 27001 Certified
ASD Essential Eight
Why Fastmail Falls Short

Key Risks for Financial Services
Using Fastmail

ASIC RG 7 — 7-year accessible email record retention for AFSL holders
APRA CPS 234 — board-level information security accountability
APP 8 cross-border disclosure of client financial information
NDB scheme — financial services is the second-highest NDB reporting sector

Compliance Obligations for Financial Services

Why Fastmail cannot satisfy the compliance requirements of Australian financial services.

ASIC RG 7 Record-Keeping
High Risk

AFSL holders must retain accessible records of all financial services correspondence for 7 years. Fastmail's offshore storage complicates ASIC record production and creates APP 8 exposure.

APRA CPS 234 Information Security
High Risk

APRA-regulated entities must maintain board-level oversight of information security. Fastmail is not ASD Essential Eight aligned and cannot satisfy APRA CPS 234 requirements for regulated entities.

Privacy Act 1988 — APP 8
Critical Risk

Every email containing client financial information sent via Fastmail is an ongoing APP 8 cross-border disclosure. Australian hosting is the only complete solution.

Notifiable Data Breaches Scheme
High Risk

Financial services is the second-highest NDB reporting sector. Fastmail does not provide the breach detection and 30-day OAIC notification workflow that Australian financial services businesses need.

Why ShieldBox Wins for Financial Services

ShieldBox is the only email platform that satisfies ASIC RG 7, APRA CPS 234, and Privacy Act 1988 obligations for Australian financial services businesses — with ISO 27001 certification and ASD Essential Eight alignment.

Fastmail vs ShieldBox for Financial Services — FAQs

Does Fastmail satisfy ASIC RG 7 record-keeping requirements?

No. ASIC RG 7 requires AFSL holders to retain accessible records of all financial services correspondence for 7 years. Fastmail's offshore storage complicates ASIC record production and creates APP 8 exposure. ShieldBox's 7-year tamper-proof Australian-hosted archive satisfies ASIC RG 7 requirements.

Is Fastmail compliant with APRA CPS 234?

No. APRA CPS 234 requires APRA-regulated entities to maintain board-level oversight of information security including email systems. Fastmail is not ASD Essential Eight aligned and cannot satisfy APRA CPS 234 requirements. ShieldBox holds ISO 27001 certification and is built to ASD Essential Eight Maturity Level 2.

Can I use Fastmail for my Australian financial advisory practice?

No. Fastmail stores email on USA servers, creating ongoing APP 8 cross-border disclosure obligations for every client email containing personal or financial information. ASIC RG 7 and APRA CPS 234 requirements cannot be satisfied with offshore email.

Why are Australian financial services businesses switching from Fastmail to ShieldBox?

Australian financial services businesses are switching from Fastmail to ShieldBox to satisfy ASIC RG 7 record-keeping requirements, meet APRA CPS 234 obligations, and eliminate APP 8 cross-border disclosure exposure. ShieldBox is the only email platform built specifically for Australian financial services compliance.

Switch from Fastmail to ShieldBox

Start for free — no credit card, no US servers, no CLOUD Act exposure. Built for Australian financial services.

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