The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) issued amendments to the classification and measurement requirements in IFRS 9 Financial Instruments. The amendments will address diversity in accounting practice by making the requirements more understandable and consistent.
The Amendments to the Classification and Measurement of Financial Instruments—Amendments to IFRS 9 and IFRS 7 respond to feedback from the 2022 Post-implementation Review of the Accounting Standard and clarify the requirements in areas where stakeholders have raised concerns, or where new issues have emerged since IFRS 9 was issued.
Clarifying the classification of financial assets with environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) and similar features—ESG-linked features in loans could affect whether the loans are measured at amortized cost or fair value. Stakeholders asked how to determine how such loans should be measured based on the characteristics of the contractual cash flows. To resolve any potential diversity in practice, the amendments clarify how the contractual cash flows on such loans should be assessed.
With these amendments, the IASB has also introduced additional disclosure requirements to enhance transparency for investors regarding investments in equity instruments designated at fair value through other comprehensive income and financial instruments with contingent features, for example, features tied to ESG-linked targets.
The amendments are effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2026.