It seems that the world’s accounting rule makers are lastly prepared to provide crypto and digital property the eye they deserve. The Worldwide Accounting Requirements Board (IASB) has shared plans that would embrace assist for cryptocurrencies and digital property as a part of a broader effort to replace the present accounting framework in 2026.
The Monetary Accounting Requirements Board can also be getting ready for the same transfer, hinting at a future the place crypto and digital property are additional built-in into US TradFi.
What are the IASB’s plans for cryptocurrencies in 2026?
The Worldwide Accounting Requirements Board (IASB) has not but produced a report. agency dedication Transfer to standalone cryptographic requirements. Nevertheless, we’re planning an replace to IAS 38 (Intangible Belongings) that’s anticipated to handle crypto-asset-related points, as crypto-assets sometimes fall into that class.
This implies the trade may quickly see extra readability on how corporations report cryptocurrencies on their steadiness sheets. Specialists tout this as necessary for transparency and say it may assist improve the legitimacy of cryptocurrencies.
What was confirmed is the IASB’s plans to contemplate urgent points equivalent to whether or not stablecoins, presently the most well liked factor in cryptocurrencies, ought to qualify as money equivalents, or whether or not some digital property must be tagged as debt or fairness.
A proper work plan on IAS 38 is anticipated later within the new 12 months and can embrace analysis to find out what the challenge will obtain, whereas doubtlessly addressing cryptocurrency-related accounting.
The explanation many individuals are nervous to listen to this information is that regardless of the end result, will probably be carried out in additional than 140 international locations related to the London-headquartered IASB.
FASB has related plans.
The Monetary Accounting Requirements Board, which is the equal of the IASB and focuses on creating an accounting framework for U.S. public corporations, additionally share They’ve related plans for cryptocurrencies, however theirs is extra definitive.
In response to Cryptopolitan, the Monetary Accounting Requirements Board will take into account two matters in 2026. It’s whether or not some crypto property qualify as money equivalents and the way crypto transfers are accounted for, each of which may create new requirements.
The approaches of the 2 our bodies differ, with the IASB planning to prioritize stablecoins and broader transparency in monetary reporting, whereas the FASB has immediately claimed to have added the 2 matters to its agenda in response to public enter.
Each digital forex tasks are the primary of greater than 70 potential matters the FASB plans to contemplate and are among the many first to be added to the company’s agenda. Final October, the FASB disclosed in an replace that the chair added a challenge on digital property to the group’s agenda on August 13.
The replace claimed that the FASB Board has “added to its technical agenda a challenge to make clear whether or not sure digital property could be categorized as money equivalents” and can start preliminary deliberations on the difficulty at a future assembly.
In one other replace in November 2025, the FASB revealed that the difficulty of accounting for the switch of digital property was added to the Board’s research agenda by the FASB Chair in August.
In response to stories, the board added the challenge to its technical agenda associated to this subject on November 19, stating that the challenge will tackle wrap tokens and receipt tokens, in addition to “make clear derecognition steerage for cryptocurrency switch preparations to evaluate whether or not management of crypto property has been transferred.”
The addition of the 2 tasks to the Board’s analysis agenda was in response to suggestions acquired in the course of the annual agenda session and suggestions contained in a report issued by the President’s Process Pressure on Digital Asset Markets.
FASB Chairman Wealthy Jones mentioned of the working group’s proposal, “I am actually glad that they thought the best way to resolve the accounting downside was to advocate that the FASB take into account it,” FASB Chairman Wealthy Jones mentioned of the working group’s proposal, based on the paper. WSJ.
The query of whether or not a specific stablecoin qualifies as a “money equal” beneath U.S. Typically Accepted Accounting Rules (GAAP) as enforced by the FASB has turn out to be a key cryptocurrency battleground for company again workplaces.
The FASB’s determination so as to add this challenge to its agenda is due to this fact believed to imply readability is on the best way.
“Many individuals have put in quite a lot of effort and time to assist form our agenda,” mentioned Chair Wealthy Jones. “I see 2026 as accepting that and executing our finish of the deal.”
The board says it plans to make selections on all different potential additions by the tip of the summer time.
