IASB officially confirms research on cryptocurrency accounting treatment in 2026, industry normalization enters a new stage

The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) officially includes cryptocurrencies in this year’s work priorities. On January 5th, IASB announced that it will focus on updating the fundamental accounting framework by 2026 to address the challenges brought by the rapid proliferation of digital currencies and the increasing proportion of intangible assets in enterprise value. This signals the imminent launch of a globally unified cryptocurrency accounting standard, marking a milestone for the entire industry.

Why Update Accounting Standards

IASB’s move stems from a practical issue: existing accounting standards were developed before the digital asset era and are unable to effectively address current business phenomena.

Challenges in Cryptocurrency Accounting Treatment

Traditional accounting standards view cash transactions as standardized liquidity transactions, but cryptocurrency transactions have unique characteristics. IASB plans to advance research on cash flow statements, focusing on how to account for cryptocurrency transactions. This involves not only recording methods but also core issues such as asset classification and valuation.

For example, how should a company’s holdings of Bitcoin be reflected in financial statements? As cash equivalents, financial assets, or other asset categories? Different classifications will directly impact the company’s financial ratios and valuation.

Definition and Measurement of Intangible Assets

IASB will also study the recognition and measurement of intangible assets, with a focus on digital assets such as software and data. This is crucial for tech companies and crypto firms, as their core value often derives from software and data rather than traditional tangible assets.

What This Means

Why This Matters

From a personal perspective, this move indicates that global regulators have accepted cryptocurrencies as legitimate assets. IASB’s work is not about restricting cryptocurrencies but about establishing unified accounting standards to make the financial treatment of digital assets more standardized and international.

The positive implications for the crypto industry include:

• Reduced compliance costs through unified standards
• Transparent accounting attracts more institutional investors
• Improved international comparability enhances recognition of the financial attributes of digital assets
• Standardization is a necessary step for the industry to mainstream

Future Outlook

Based on IASB’s work plan, preliminary guidance on cryptocurrency accounting is expected to be released within 2026, with a more comprehensive standard possibly introduced in 2027. The process will likely involve multiple rounds of consultation, allowing industry players, accounting firms, and regulators to participate in discussions.

Once the rules are finalized, major economies worldwide are likely to follow suit. This will lay the foundation for standardized treatment of crypto assets on corporate balance sheets, facilitating institutional adoption and transparent valuation.

Summary

IASB’s inclusion of cryptocurrencies and intangible assets in its 2026 accounting standards research signals an important step toward industry normalization. This is not regulatory tightening but a sign of industry maturity. When a unified global accounting standard is introduced, the financial treatment of digital assets will become more transparent and comparable, benefiting long-term development. In the short term, it promotes the legalization of cryptocurrencies; in the long term, it clears accounting obstacles for institutional investors entering the crypto space.