Abstract

The purpose of this paper is twofold: (i) to investigate some of the main issues surrounding the classification of digital currencies, and (ii) to identify the accounting practices and standards tied to digital currencies. This paper discusses two different types of digital currencies, including: central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and privately issued cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. The findings of this study suggest that current accounting standards do not precisely cover the accounting treatment of digital currencies, even though the estimated value of market capitalisation of cryptocurrency in 2022 was USD 200 billion. This conceptual paper identifies the imminent need for an accounting standard to provide guidance on the identification, classification, measurement, and presentation of digital currencies. In the interim, existing accounting standards can be amended to incorporate digital currencies to avoid inconsistent global accounting approaches.

Introduction

Digital currency is an unparalleled technological advancement that has received increasing attention from researchers, investors, financial institutions and regulators. It is a mode of exchange that does not have a physical or tangible basis and exists purely in an electronic form. It should not, however, be confused with electronic money such as an online bank account, which shows the amount of cash that is held in a specified account and is linked to a physical currency. Many businesses are now pursuing digital currency as part of their wider financial management system, and this should be appropriately recorded in their financial statements. Despite the rapid increase in the amount and frequency of digital currency transactions, there is no clear guidance from the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). The classification of digital currencies is a significant issue, and lack of guidance from standard-setters affects the accounting treatment of digital currencies and disclosures in financial statements.

Current literature shows the lack of focus on accounting treatment of digital currencies. In this conceptual paper, we aim to address this literature gap by examining accounting classification and treatment of transactions involving digital currencies. In addition, the paper aims to discuss a number of potential risks associated with the use of digital currencies and lack of clear classifications. Key questions around the classification, reporting and disclosure of digital currencies are addressed in this paper, including: In what asset class should digital currencies be classified as? and, is there an existing accounting standard for digital currency within the current IFRS standards?

Summary and conclusion

Digital currencies represent a genuinely new development in the landscape of financial payments. The main issue is that there are currently no clear or universal accounting standards or classifications for digital currencies. It is critical that blockchain technology, regarded as the underlying technology of most digital currencies, is fully understood, in order to be able to create relevant accounting and taxation standards as well as regulatory frameworks. Blockchain could therefore positively impact business models due to its unique characteristics, which address a number of key business issues. In addition, it offers the possibility of ‘triple-entry accounting’, in which accounting entries are cryptographically sealed by a third entry and made accessible to all third parties. Furthermore, blockchain accounting can reduce errors in disclosure and earnings management, improve the reliability and timelines of accounting information, and accordingly mitigate information asymmetry.

Accounting standard setters seem to be struggling to cope with the exponential growth in digital assets, which has led to a lack of consensus among them about how to treat these assets. This demonstrates that there is an urgent need for clear guidance to be issued by the standard-setters, as this absence has hindered the development of a universal accounting practice for digital currencies and has thus posed a number of challenges for authorities in relation to the classification and measurement of digital currencies.