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EFRAG Research project on Crypto-Assets

Description

EFRAG Podcasts

​ Accounting for Crypto-Assets (Liabilities) – Holder’s perspective 

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​Accounting for Crypto-Assets (Liabilities) – Issuer’s perspective 

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Accounting for Crypto-Assets (Liabilities) – Valuation 

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Objective o​​​f the EFRAG​​​ research project

Following the EFRAG 2018 Research Agenda consultation, the EFRAG Board approved​​ the inclusion of a research project on crypto-assets in EFRAG's workplan.

The research project conducted from late 2018 through to 2020 consisted of a problem definition and development of proposals for developing or clarifying IFRS requirements. As part of the research, the EFRAG Secretariat conducted an outreach to crypto-assets experts in Q4 2019.

Up​​​​date

A Disc​​​ussion Paper (DP) “Accounting for crypto-assets (liabilities): holder and issuer perspective” was published in July 2020 and was open for a 12-month consultation period until 31 July 2021.  The DP sets out three possible options for developing IFRS requirements: 

  • Option 1: No amendment to current applicable IFRS Standards. In effect, preparers will continue to apply existing IFRS including having to develop their own accounting policy (IAS 8).  
  • Option 2: Amend and/or clarify IFRS Standards – this option proposes that several amendments or clarification guidance to current IFRS Standards (such as IAS 38, IAS 2, IAS 32, IAS 7, IAS 37, IFRS 9, IFRS 13 and IFRS 15) might be needed for the accounting by holders and issuers of crypto-assets (liabilities). 
  • Option 3: A new IFRS Standard to address crypto-assets (liabilities) with a possibility to also cover digital assets (liabilities) – this option would require developing a new standalone IFRS Standard for crypto-assets (liabilities). 

The DP seeks stakeholders’ feedback on the above three and/or any other option that could be considered in developing IFRS requirements. The DP also seeks feedback on the identified challenges related to accounting by holders and issuers and valuation of crypto-assets.

The outreach activities on the DP commenced in Q4 2020 and ended in H1 2021.  As part of the outreach, EFRAG presented the DP to the International Forum of Accounting Standard Setters (IFASS) in September 2020 and to the Accounting Standards Advisory Forum (ASAF) in December 2020.

In 2021, EFRAG presented the DP to the European Association of Co-operative Banks (EACB) (2x), to the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), to the European Accounting Association (EAA) and to the Accounting Standards Board of Japan (ASBJ), the latter translated the EFRAG DP into Japanese. Furthermore, meetings were held with the European Central Bank (ECB), with the Accounting Standards Board of Canada (AcSB) and with the Corporate Reporting Users’s Forum (CRUF).

In April 2021 EFRAG published a survey that stakeholders could use to respond to the DP which led to more than ten in-depth one-on-one interviews with stakeholders from different backgrounds and to 29 survey responses. The respondents included national standard-setters, preparers, auditors and academics.

On 6 July 2021, EFRAG organised a webinar where preparers, users and auditors expressed their views on key accounting challenges and the way forward, including a presentation by the IASB.

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) agreed to add accounting for cryptocurrency to its research agenda. Furthermore, in the December 2021 ASAF paper on agenda consultation most respondents rated cryptocurrencies and related transactions as a high priority. A few respondents also referred to the need to leverage the work done by EFRAG.

Next steps

EFRAG expects to publish a Recommendations and Feedback statement on the DP in H1 2022.

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