Overview

IAS 32 Financial Instruments: Presentation outlines the accounting requirements for

the presentation of financial instruments, particularly as to the classification of such
instruments into financial assets, financial liabilities and equity instruments. The
standard also provide guidance on the classification of related interest, dividends
and gains/losses, and when financial assets and financial liabilities can be offset.
IAS 32 was reissued in December 2003 and applies to annual periods beginning on
or after 1 January 2005.
History of IAS 32
September 19
91

Exposure Draft E40 Financial Instruments

January 1994

E40 was modified and re-exposed as Exposure Draft

E48 Financial Instruments

June 1995

The disclosure and presentation portion of E48 was adopted

as IAS 32 Financial Instruments: Disclosure and
Presentation

1 January 1996

Effective date of IAS 32 (1995)

December 199
8

IAS 32 was revised by IAS 39, effective 1 January 2001

17 December
2003

Revised version of IAS 32 issued by the IASB

1 January 2005

Effective date of IAS 32 (2003)

18 August 200
5

Disclosure provisions of IAS 32 are replaced by IFRS

7 Financial Instruments: Disclosures effective 1 January
2007. Title of IAS 32 changed to Financial Instruments:
Presentation

22 June 2006

Exposure Draft of proposed amendments relating

to Puttable Instruments and Obligations Arising on
Liquidation

14 February 20

IAS 32 amended for Puttable Instruments and Obligations

08

Arising on Liquidation

1 January 2009

Effective date of amendments for puttable instruments and

obligations arising on liquidation

6 August 2009

Exposure Draft Classification of Rights Issues proposing to

amend IAS 32

8 October 200
9

Amendment to IAS 32 about Classification of Rights Issues

1 February 201
0

Effective date of the October 2009 amendment

16 December
2011

Offsetting Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities

(Amendments to IAS 32) issued

17 May 2012

Amendments resulting from Annual Improvements 20092011 Cycle (tax effect of equity distributions). Click for More
Information

1 January 2013

Effective date of May 2012 amendments (Annual

Improvements 2009-2011 Cycle)

1 January 2014

Effective date of December 2011 amendments

Related Interpretations

IAS 32 (2003) superseded SIC-5 Classification of Financial Instruments

Contingent Settlement Provisions

IAS 32 (2003) superseded SIC-16 Share Capital Reacquired Own Equity

Instruments (Treasury Shares)

IAS 32 (2003) superseded SIC-17 Equity Costs of an Equity Transaction

IFRIC 2 Members' Shares in Co-operative Entities and Similar Instruments

Amendments under consideration by the IASB

Financial Instruments with Characteristics of Equity (Liabilities and Equity)

Summary of IAS 32
Objective of IAS 32

The stated objective of IAS 32 is to establish principles for presenting financial

instruments as liabilities or equity and for offsetting financial assets and liabilities.
[IAS 32.1]
IAS 32 addresses this in a number of ways:

clarifying the classification of a financial instrument issued by an entity as a

liability or as equity

prescribing the accounting for treasury shares (an entity's own repurchased
shares)

prescribing strict conditions under which assets and liabilities may be offset
in the balance sheet

IAS 32 is a companion to IAS 39 Financial Instruments: Recognition and

Measurement and IFRS 9 Financial Instruments. IAS 39 deals with, among other
things, initial recognition of financial assets and liabilities, measurement subsequent
to initial recognition, impairment, derecognition, and hedge accounting. IAS 39 is
progressively being replaced by IFRS 9 as the IASB completes the various phases of
its financial instruments project.
Scope
IAS 32 applies in presenting and disclosing information about all types of financial
instruments with the following exceptions: [IAS 32.4]

interests in subsidiaries, associates and joint ventures that are accounted for
under IAS 27 Consolidated and Separate Financial
Statements, IAS 28 Investments in Associates or IAS 31 Interests in Joint
Ventures (or, for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January
2013, IFRS 10 Consolidated Financial Statements, IAS 27 Separate Financial
Statements and IAS 28 Investments in Associates and Joint Ventures).
However, IAS 32 applies to all derivatives on interests in subsidiaries,
associates, or joint ventures.

employers' rights and obligations under employee benefit plans

(see IAS 19 Employee Benefits)

insurance contracts(see IFRS 4 Insurance Contracts). However, IAS 32 applies

to derivatives that are embedded in insurance contracts if they are required
to be accounted separately by IAS 39

financial instruments that are within the scope of IFRS 4 because they contain
a discretionary participation feature are only exempt from applying
paragraphs 15-32 and AG25-35 (analysing debt and equity components) but
are subject to all other IAS 32 requirements

contracts and obligations under share-based payment transactions

(see IFRS 2 Share-based Payment) with the following exceptions:

this standard applies to contracts within the scope of IAS 32.8-10 (see
below)

paragraphs 33-34 apply when accounting for treasury shares

purchased, sold, issued or cancelled by employee share option plans or
similar arrangements

IAS 32 applies to those contracts to buy or sell a non-financial item that can be
settled net in cash or another financial instrument, except for contracts that were
entered into and continue to be held for the purpose of the receipt or delivery of a
non-financial item in accordance with the entity's expected purchase, sale or usage
requirements. [IAS 32.8]
Key definitions [IAS 32.11]
Financial instrument: a contract that gives rise to a financial asset of one entity and
a financial liability or equity instrument of another entity.
Financial asset: any asset that is:

cash

an equity instrument of another entity

a contractual right

to receive cash or another financial asset from another entity; or

to exchange financial assets or financial liabilities with another entity

under conditions that are potentially favourable to the entity; or

a contract that will or may be settled in the entity's own equity instruments
and is:
o

a non-derivative for which the entity is or may be obliged to receive a

variable number of the entity's own equity instruments

a derivative that will or may be settled other than by the exchange of a

fixed amount of cash or another financial asset for a fixed number of
the entity's own equity instruments. For this purpose the entity's own
equity instruments do not include instruments that are themselves
contracts for the future receipt or delivery of the entity's own equity
instruments

puttable instruments classified as equity or certain liabilities arising on

liquidation classified by IAS 32 as equity instruments

Financial liability: any liability that is:

a contractual obligation:
o

to deliver cash or another financial asset to another entity; or

to exchange financial assets or financial liabilities with another entity

under conditions that are potentially unfavourable to the entity; or

a contract that will or may be settled in the entity's own equity instruments
and is
o

a non-derivative for which the entity is or may be obliged to deliver a

variable number of the entity's own equity instruments or

a derivative that will or may be settled other than by the exchange of a

fixed amount of cash or another financial asset for a fixed number of
the entity's own equity instruments. For this purpose the entity's own
equity instruments do not include: instruments that are themselves
contracts for the future receipt or delivery of the entity's own equity
instruments; puttable instruments classified as equity or certain
liabilities arising on liquidation classified by IAS 32 as equity
instruments

Equity instrument: Any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of
an entity after deducting all of its liabilities.
Fair value: the amount for which an asset could be exchanged, or a liability settled,
between knowledgeable, willing parties in an arm's length transaction.
The definition of financial instrument used in IAS 32 is the same as that in IAS 39.
Puttable instrument: a financial instrument that gives the holder the right to put the
instrument back to the issuer for cash or another financial asset or is automatically
put back to the issuer on occurrence of an uncertain future event or the death or
retirement of the instrument holder.
Classification as liability or equity
The fundamental principle of IAS 32 is that a financial instrument should be
classified as either a financial liability or an equity instrument according to the
substance of the contract, not its legal form, and the definitions of financial liability
and equity instrument. Two exceptions from this principle are certain puttable
instruments meeting specific criteria and certain obligations arising on liquidation
(see below). The entity must make the decision at the time the instrument is initially
recognised. The classification is not subsequently changed based on changed
circumstances. [IAS 32.15]
A financial instrument is an equity instrument only if (a) the instrument includes no
contractual obligation to deliver cash or another financial asset to another entity
and (b) if the instrument will or may be settled in the issuer's own equity
instruments, it is either:

a non-derivative that includes no contractual obligation for the issuer to

deliver a variable number of its own equity instruments; or

a derivative that will be settled only by the issuer exchanging a fixed amount
of cash or another financial asset for a fixed number of its own equity
instruments. [IAS 32.16]

Illustration preference shares

If an entity issues preference (preferred) shares that pay a fixed rate of dividend
and that have a mandatory redemption feature at a future date, the substance is
that they are a contractual obligation to deliver cash and, therefore, should be
recognised as a liability. [IAS 32.18(a)] In contrast, preference shares that do not
have a fixed maturity, and where the issuer does not have a contractual obligation
to make any payment are equity. In this example even though both instruments are
legally termed preference shares they have different contractual terms and one is a
financial liability while the other is equity.
Illustration issuance of fixed monetary amount of equity instruments
A contractual right or obligation to receive or deliver a number of its own shares or
other equity instruments that varies so that the fair value of the entity's own equity
instruments to be received or delivered equals the fixed monetary amount of the
contractual right or obligation is a financial liability. [IAS 32.20]
Illustration one party has a choice over how an instrument is settled
When a derivative financial instrument gives one party a choice over how it is
settled (for instance, the issuer or the holder can choose settlement net in cash or
by exchanging shares for cash), it is a financial asset or a financial liability unless all
of the settlement alternatives would result in it being an equity instrument. [IAS
32.26]
Contingent settlement provisions
If, as a result of contingent settlement provisions, the issuer does not have an
unconditional right to avoid settlement by delivery of cash or other financial
instrument (or otherwise to settle in a way that it would be a financial liability) the
instrument is a financial liability of the issuer, unless:

the contingent settlement provision is not genuine or

the issuer can only be required to settle the obligation in the event of the
issuer's liquidation or

the instrument has all the features and meets the conditions of IAS 32.16A
and 16B for puttable instruments [IAS 32.25]

Puttable instruments and obligations arising on liquidation

In February 2008, the IASB amended IAS 32 and IAS 1 Presentation of Financial
Statements with respect to the balance sheet classification of puttable financial
instruments and obligations arising only on liquidation. As a result of the
amendments, some financial instruments that currently meet the definition of a

financial liability will be classified as equity because they represent the residual
interest in the net assets of the entity. [IAS 32.16A-D]
Classifications of rights issues
In October 2009, the IASB issued an amendment to IAS 32 on the classification of
rights issues. For rights issues offered for a fixed amount of foreign currency current
practice appears to require such issues to be accounted for as derivative liabilities.
The amendment states that if such rights are issued pro rata to an entity's all
existing shareholders in the same class for a fixed amount of currency, they should
be classified as equity regardless of the currency in which the exercise price is
denominated.
Compound financial instruments
Some financial instruments sometimes called compound instruments have both
a liability and an equity component from the issuer's perspective. In that case, IAS
32 requires that the component parts be accounted for and presented separately
according to their substance based on the definitions of liability and equity. The split
is made at issuance and not revised for subsequent changes in market interest
rates, share prices, or other event that changes the likelihood that the conversion
option will be exercised. [IAS 32.29-30]
To illustrate, a convertible bond contains two components. One is a financial liability,
namely the issuer's contractual obligation to pay cash, and the other is an equity
instrument, namely the holder's option to convert into common shares. Another
example is debt issued with detachable share purchase warrants.
When the initial carrying amount of a compound financial instrument is required to
be allocated to its equity and liability components, the equity component is
assigned the residual amount after deducting from the fair value of the instrument
as a whole the amount separately determined for the liability component. [IAS
32.32]
Interest, dividends, gains, and losses relating to an instrument classified as a
liability should be reported in profit or loss. This means that dividend payments on
preferred shares classified as liabilities are treated as expenses. On the other hand,
distributions (such as dividends) to holders of a financial instrument classified as
equity should be charged directly against equity, not against earnings. [IAS 32.35]
Transaction costs of an equity transaction are deducted from equity. Transaction
costs related to an issue of a compound financial instrument are allocated to the
liability and equity components in proportion to the allocation of proceeds.
Treasury shares
The cost of an entity's own equity instruments that it has reacquired ('treasury
shares') is deducted from equity. Gain or loss is not recognised on the purchase,
sale, issue, or cancellation of treasury shares. Treasury shares may be acquired and
held by the entity or by other members of the consolidated group. Consideration
paid or received is recognised directly in equity. [IAS 32.33]

Offsetting
IAS 32 also prescribes rules for the offsetting of financial assets and financial
liabilities. It specifies that a financial asset and a financial liability should be offset
and the net amount reported when, and only when, an entity: [IAS 32.42]

has a legally enforceable right to set off the amounts; and

intends either to settle on a net basis, or to realise the asset and settle the
liability simultaneously. [IAS 32.48]

Costs of issuing or reacquiring equity instruments

Costs of issuing or reacquiring equity instruments (other than in a business
combination) are accounted for as a deduction from equity, net of any related
income tax benefit. [IAS 32.35]
Disclosures
Financial instruments disclosures are in IFRS 7 Financial Instruments: Disclosures,
and no longer in IAS 32.
The disclosures relating to treasury shares are in IAS 1 Presentation of Financial
Statements and IAS 24 Related Parties for share repurchases from related parties.
[IAS 32.34 and 39]
----------------------------------------------Overview
IAS 39 Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement outlines the
requirements for the recognition and measurement of financial assets, financial
liabilities, and some contracts to buy or sell non-financial items. Financial
instruments are initially recognised when an entity becomes a party to the
contractual provisions of the instrument, and are classified into various categories
depending upon the type of instrument, which then determines the subsequent
measurement of the instrument (typically amortised cost or fair value). Special rules
apply to embedded derivatives and hedging instruments.
IAS 39 was reissued in December 2003, applies to annual periods beginning on or
after 1 January 2005, and will be largely replaced by IFRS 9 Financial
Instruments for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2018.
History of IAS 39
Date

Development

October 1984

Exposure Draft E26 Accounting for

Investments

March 1986

IAS 25 Accounting for Investments

Comments

Operative for

financial
statements
covering
periods
beginning on or
after 1 January
1987
September 199
1

Exposure Draft E40 Financial

Instruments

January 1994

E40 was modified and re-exposed as

Exposure Draft E48 Financial
Instruments

June 1995

The disclosure and presentation

portion of E48 was adopted as IAS 32

March 1997

Discussion Paper Accounting for

Financial Assets and Financial
Liabilities issued

June 1998

Exposure Draft E62 Financial

Instruments: Recognition and
Measurement issued

Comment
deadline 30
September
1998

December 199
8

IAS 39 Financial Instruments:

Recognition and Measurement (1998)

Effective date 1
January 2001

April 2000

Withdrawal of IAS 25 following the

approval of IAS 40 Investment Property

Effective for
financial
statements
covering
periods
beginning on or
after 1 January
2001

October 2000

Limited revisions to IAS 39

Effective date 1
January 2001

17 December 2
003

IAS 39 Financial Instruments:

Recognition and Measurement (2004)
issued

Effective for
annual periods
beginning on or
after 1 January
2005

31 March 2004

IAS 39 revised to reflect macro hedging

Effective for
annual periods
beginning on or
after 1 January
2005

17 December 2
004

Amendment issued to IAS 39 for

transition and initial recognition of
profit or loss

14 April 2005

Amendment issued to IAS 39 for cash

flow hedges of forecast intragroup
transactions

Effective for
annual periods
beginning on or
after 1 January
2006

15 June 2005

Amendment to IAS 39 for fair value

option

Effective for
annual periods
beginning on or
after 1 January
2006

18 August 200
5

Amendment to IAS 39 for financial

guarantee contracts

Effective for
annual periods
beginning on or
after 1 January
2006

22 May 2008

IAS 39 amended for Annual

Improvements to IFRSs 2007

Effective for
annual periods
beginning on or
after 1 January
2009

30 July 2008

Amendment to IAS 39 for eligible

hedged items

Effective for
annual periods
beginning on or

after 1 July
2009
13 October 20
08

Amendment to IAS 39 for

reclassifications of financial assets

Effective 1 July
2008

12 March 2009

Amendment to IAS 39 for embedded

derivatives on reclassifications of
financial assets

Effective for
annual periods
beginning on or
after 1 July
2009

16 April 2009

IAS 39 amended for Annual

Improvements to IFRSs 2009

Effective for
annual periods
beginning on or
after 1 January
2010

12 November
2009

IFRS 9 Financial Instruments issued,

replacing the classification and
measurement of financial assets
provisions of IAS 39

Original
effective date 1
January 2013,
later deferred
and
subsequently
removed*

28 October
2010

IFRS 9 Financial Instruments reissued,

incorporating new requirements on
accounting for financial liabilities and
carrying over from IAS 39 the
requirements for derecognition of
financial assets and financial liabilities

Original
effective date 1
January 2013,
later deferred
and
subsequently
removed*

27 June 2013

Amended by Novation of Derivatives

and Continuation of Hedge Accounting

Effective for
annual periods
beginning on or
after 1 January
2014 (earlier
application
permitted)

19 November 2

IFRS 9 Financial Instruments (Hedge

Applies when

013

Accounting and amendments to IFRS 9,

IFRS 7 and IAS 39) issued, permitting
an entity to elect to continue to apply
the hedge accounting requirements in
IAS 39 for a fair value hedge of the
interest rate exposure of a portion of a
portfolio of financial assets or financial
liabilities when IFRS 9 is applied, and to
extend the fair value option to certain
contracts that meet the 'own use'
scope exception

IFRS 9 is
applied*

24 July 2014

IFRS 9 Financial Instruments issued,

replacing IAS 39 requirements for
classification and measurement,
impairment, hedge accounting and
derecognition

Effective for
annual periods
beginning on or
after 1 January
2018#

* IFRS 9 (2014) supersedes IFRS 9 (2009), IFRS 9 (2010) and IFRS 9 (2013), but
these standards remain available for application if the relevant date of initial
application is before 1 February 2015.
# When an entity first applies IFRS 9, it may choose as its accounting policy choice
to continue to apply the hedge accounting requirements of IAS 39 instead of the
requirements of Chapter 6 of IFRS 9. The IASB currently is undertaking a project
on macro hedge accountingwhich is expected to eventually replace these sections
of IAS 39.
Related Interpretations

IFRIC 16 Hedge of a Net Investment in a Foreign Operation

IFRIC 12 Service Concession Arrangements

IFRIC 9 Reassessment of Embedded Derivatives

IAS 39 (2003) superseded SIC-33 Consolidation and Equity Method

Potential Voting Rights and Allocation of Ownership Interest

Amendments under consideration by the IASB

Financial instruments Macro hedge accounting

Summary of IAS 39
Deloitte guidance on IFRSs for financial instruments

iGAAP 2012: Financial Instruments

Deloitte (United Kingdom) has developed iGAAP 2012: Financial Instruments IFRS
Instruments IAS 39 and related Standards (Volume C), which have been publish
instruments accounting under IFRSs. These two titles go beyond and behind the technic
interpretations, clear explanations and examples. They enable the reader to gain a soun
practicalities.The iGAAP 2012 Financial Instruments books can be purchased throug
Scope
Scope exclusions
IAS 39 applies to all types of financial instruments except for the following, which
are scoped out of IAS 39: [IAS 39.2]

interests in subsidiaries, associates, and joint ventures accounted for

under IAS 27 Consolidated and Separate Financial
Statements, IAS 28 Investments in Associates, or IAS 31 Interests in Joint
Ventures (or, for periods beginning on or after 1 January
2013, IFRS 10 Consolidated Financial Statements, IAS 27 Separate Financial
Statements or IAS 28 Investments in Associates and Joint Ventures); however
IAS 39 applies in cases where under those standards such interests are to be
accounted for under IAS 39. The standard also applies to most derivatives on
an interest in a subsidiary, associate, or joint venture

employers' rights and obligations under employee benefit plans to

which IAS 19 Employee Benefits applies

forward contracts between an acquirer and selling shareholder to buy or sell

an acquiree that will result in a business combination at a future acquisition
date

rights and obligations under insurance contracts, except IAS 39 does apply to
financial instruments that take the form of an insurance (or reinsurance)
contract but that principally involve the transfer of financial risks and
derivatives embedded in insurance contracts

financial instruments that meet the definition of own equity

under IAS 32 Financial Instruments: Presentation

financial instruments, contracts and obligations under share-based payment

transactions to which IFRS 2 Share-based Payment applies

rights to reimbursement payments to which IAS 37 Provisions, Contingent

Liabilities and Contingent Assets applies

Leases
IAS 39 applies to lease receivables and payables only in limited respects:
[IAS 39.2(b)]

IAS 39 applies to lease receivables with respect to the derecognition and

impairment provisions

IAS 39 applies to lease payables with respect to the derecognition provisions

IAS 39 applies to derivatives embedded in leases.

Financial guarantees
IAS 39 applies to financial guarantee contracts issued. However, if an issuer of
financial guarantee contracts has previously asserted explicitly that it regards such
contracts as insurance contracts and has used accounting applicable to insurance
contracts, the issuer may elect to apply either IAS 39 or IFRS 4 Insurance
Contracts to such financial guarantee contracts. The issuer may make that election
contract by contract, but the election for each contract is irrevocable.
Accounting by the holder is excluded from the scope of IAS 39 and IFRS 4 (unless
the contract is a reinsurance contract). Therefore, paragraphs 10-12 of IAS
8 Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting Estimates and Errors apply. Those
paragraphs specify criteria to use in developing an accounting policy if no IFRS
applies specifically to an item.
Loan commitments
Loan commitments are outside the scope of IAS 39 if they cannot be settled net in
cash or another financial instrument, they are not designated as financial liabilities
at fair value through profit or loss, and the entity does not have a past practice of
selling the loans that resulted from the commitment shortly after origination. An
issuer of a commitment to provide a loan at a below-market interest rate is required
initially to recognise the commitment at its fair value; subsequently, the issuer will
remeasure it at the higher of (a) the amount recognised under IAS 37 and (b) the
amount initially recognised less, where appropriate, cumulative amortisation
recognised in accordance with IAS 18. An issuer of loan commitments must apply
IAS 37 to other loan commitments that are not within the scope of IAS 39 (that is,
those made at market or above). Loan commitments are subject to the
derecognition provisions of IAS 39. [IAS 39.4]
Contracts to buy or sell financial items
Contracts to buy or sell financial items are always within the scope of IAS 39 (unless
one of the other exceptions applies).
Contracts to buy or sell non-financial items
Contracts to buy or sell non-financial items are within the scope of IAS 39 if they can
be settled net in cash or another financial asset and are not entered into and held
for the purpose of the receipt or delivery of a non-financial item in accordance with
the entity's expected purchase, sale, or usage requirements. Contracts to buy or sell
non-financial items are inside the scope if net settlement occurs. The following
situations constitute net settlement: [IAS 39.5-6]

the terms of the contract permit either counterparty to settle net

there is a past practice of net settling similar contracts

there is a past practice, for similar contracts, of taking delivery of the

underlying and selling it within a short period after delivery to generate a
profit from short-term fluctuations in price, or from a dealer's margin, or

the non-financial item is readily convertible to cash

Weather derivatives
Although contracts requiring payment based on climatic, geological, or other
physical variable were generally excluded from the original version of IAS 39, they
were added to the scope of the revised IAS 39 in December 2003 if they are not in
the scope of IFRS 4. [IAS 39.AG1]
Definitions
IAS 39 incorporates the definitions of the following items from IAS 32 Financial
Instruments: Presentation: [IAS 39.8]

financial instrument

financial asset

financial liability

equity instrument.

Note: Where an entity applies IFRS 9 Financial Instruments prior to its mandatory
application date (1 January 2015), definitions of the following terms are also
incorporated from IFRS 9: derecognition, derivative, fair value, financial guarantee
contract. The definition of those terms outlined below (as relevant) are those from
IAS 39.
Common examples of financial instruments within the scope of IAS 39

cash

demand and time deposits

commercial paper

accounts, notes, and loans receivable and payable

debt and equity securities. These are financial instruments from the perspectives of both t
associates, and joint ventures

asset backed securities such as collateralised mortgage obligations, repurchase agreemen

derivatives, including options, rights, warrants, futures contracts, forward contracts, and s

A derivative is a financial instrument:

Whose value changes in response to the change in an underlying variable

such as an interest rate, commodity or security price, or index;

That requires no initial investment, or one that is smaller than would be

required for a contract with similar response to changes in market factors;
and

That is settled at a future date. [IAS 39.9]

Examples of derivatives

Forwards: Contracts to purchase or sell a specific quantity of a financial instrument, a commodi

or settlement at a specified future date. Settlement is at maturity by actual delivery of the item s
Interest rate swaps and forward rate agreements: Contracts to exchange cash flows as of
and floating rates.

Futures: Contracts similar to forwards but with the following differences: futures are generic exc
settled through an offsetting (reversing) trade, whereas forwards are generally settled by deliver

Options: Contracts that give the purchaser the right, but not the obligation, to buy (call option)
commodity, or foreign currency, at a specified price (strike price), during or at a specified period
option pays the seller (writer) of the option a fee (premium) to compensate the seller for the risk

Caps and floors: These are contracts sometimes referred to as interest rate options. An interest
predetermined rate (strike rate) while an interest rate floor will compensate the purchaser if rate
Embedded derivatives
Some contracts that themselves are not financial instruments may nonetheless
have financial instruments embedded in them. For example, a contract to purchase
a commodity at a fixed price for delivery at a future date has embedded in it a
derivative that is indexed to the price of the commodity.
An embedded derivative is a feature within a contract, such that the cash flows
associated with that feature behave in a similar fashion to a stand-alone derivative.
In the same way that derivatives must be accounted for at fair value on the balance
sheet with changes recognised in the income statement, so must some embedded
derivatives. IAS 39 requires that an embedded derivative be separated from its host
contract and accounted for as a derivative when: [IAS 39.11]

the economic risks and characteristics of the embedded derivative are not
closely related to those of the host contract

a separate instrument with the same terms as the embedded derivative

would meet the definition of a derivative, and

the entire instrument is not measured at fair value with changes in fair value
recognised in the income statement

If an embedded derivative is separated, the host contract is accounted for under the
appropriate standard (for instance, under IAS 39 if the host is a financial
instrument). Appendix A to IAS 39 provides examples of embedded derivatives that
are closely related to their hosts, and of those that are not.
Examples of embedded derivatives that are not closely related to their hosts (and
therefore must be separately accounted for) include:

the equity conversion option in debt convertible to ordinary shares (from the
perspective of the holder only) [IAS 39.AG30(f)]

commodity indexed interest or principal payments in host debt

contracts[IAS 39.AG30(e)]

cap and floor options in host debt contracts that are in-the-money when the
instrument was issued [IAS 39.AG33(b)]

leveraged inflation adjustments to lease payments [IAS 39.AG33(f)]

currency derivatives in purchase or sale contracts for non-financial items

where the foreign currency is not that of either counterparty to the contract,
is not the currency in which the related good or service is routinely
denominated in commercial transactions around the world, and is not the
currency that is commonly used in such contracts in the economic
environment in which the transaction takes place. [IAS 39.AG33(d)]

If IAS 39 requires that an embedded derivative be separated from its host contract,
but the entity is unable to measure the embedded derivative separately, the entire
combined contract must be designated as a financial asset as at fair value through
profit or loss). [IAS 39.12]
Classification as liability or equity
Since IAS 39 does not address accounting for equity instruments issued by the
reporting enterprise but it does deal with accounting for financial liabilities,
classification of an instrument as liability or as equity is critical. IAS 32 Financial
Instruments: Presentation addresses the classification question.
Classification of financial assets
IAS 39 requires financial assets to be classified in one of the following categories:
[IAS 39.45]

Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss

Available-for-sale financial assets

Loans and receivables

Held-to-maturity investments

Those categories are used to determine how a particular financial asset is

recognised and measured in the financial statements.

Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss. This category has two
subcategories:

Designated. The first includes any financial asset that is designated on

initial recognition as one to be measured at fair value with fair value changes
in profit or loss.

Held for trading. The second category includes financial assets that are
held for trading. All derivatives (except those designated hedging
instruments) and financial assets acquired or held for the purpose of selling in
the short term or for which there is a recent pattern of short-term profit
taking are held for trading. [IAS 39.9]

Available-for-sale financial assets (AFS) are any non-derivative financial assets

designated on initial recognition as available for sale or any other instruments that
are not classified as as (a) loans and receivables, (b) held-to-maturity investments
or (c) financial assets at fair value through profit or loss. [IAS 39.9] AFS assets are
measured at fair value in the balance sheet. Fair value changes on AFS assets are
recognised directly in equity, through the statement of changes in equity, except for
interest on AFS assets (which is recognised in income on an effective yield basis),
impairment losses and (for interest-bearing AFS debt instruments) foreign exchange
gains or losses. The cumulative gain or loss that was recognised in equity is
recognised in profit or loss when an available-for-sale financial asset is
derecognised. [IAS 39.55(b)]
Loans and receivables are non-derivative financial assets with fixed or
determinable payments that are not quoted in an active market, other than held for
trading or designated on initial recognition as assets at fair value through profit or
loss or as available-for-sale. Loans and receivables for which the holder may not
recover substantially all of its initial investment, other than because of credit
deterioration, should be classified as available-for-sale.[IAS 39.9] Loans and
receivables are measured at amortised cost. [IAS 39.46(a)]
Held-to-maturity investments are non-derivative financial assets with fixed or
determinable payments that an entity intends and is able to hold to maturity and
that do not meet the definition of loans and receivables and are not designated on
initial recognition as assets at fair value through profit or loss or as available for
sale. Held-to-maturity investments are measured at amortised cost. If an entity sells
a held-to-maturity investment other than in insignificant amounts or as a
consequence of a non-recurring, isolated event beyond its control that could not be
reasonably anticipated, all of its other held-to-maturity investments must be
reclassified as available-for-sale for the current and next two financial reporting
years. [IAS 39.9] Held-to-maturity investments are measured at amortised cost.
[IAS 39.46(b)]
Classification of financial liabilities
IAS 39 recognises two classes of financial liabilities: [IAS 39.47]

Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss

Other financial liabilities measured at amortised cost using the effective

interest method

The category of financial liability at fair value through profit or loss has two
subcategories:

Designated. a financial liability that is designated by the entity as a liability

at fair value through profit or loss upon initial recognition

Held for trading. a financial liability classified as held for trading, such as
an obligation for securities borrowed in a short sale, which have to be
returned in the future

Initial recognition
IAS 39 requires recognition of a financial asset or a financial liability when, and only
when, the entity becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument,
subject to the following provisions in respect of regular way purchases. [IAS 39.14]
Regular way purchases or sales of a financial asset. A regular way purchase
or sale of financial assets is recognised and derecognised using either trade date or
settlement date accounting. [IAS 39.38] The method used is to be applied
consistently for all purchases and sales of financial assets that belong to the same
category of financial asset as defined in IAS 39 (note that for this purpose assets
held for trading form a different category from assets designated at fair value
through profit or loss). The choice of method is an accounting policy. [IAS 39.38]
IAS 39 requires that all financial assets and all financial liabilities be recognised on
the balance sheet. That includes all derivatives. Historically, in many parts of the
world, derivatives have not been recognised on company balance sheets. The
argument has been that at the time the derivative contract was entered into, there
was no amount of cash or other assets paid. Zero cost justified non-recognition,
notwithstanding that as time passes and the value of the underlying variable (rate,
price, or index) changes, the derivative has a positive (asset) or negative (liability)
value.
Initial measurement
Initially, financial assets and liabilities should be measured at fair value (including
transaction costs, for assets and liabilities not measured at fair value through profit
or loss). [IAS 39.43]
Measurement subsequent to initial recognition
Subsequently, financial assets and liabilities (including derivatives) should be
measured at fair value, with the following exceptions: [IAS 39.46-47]

Loans and receivables, held-to-maturity investments, and non-derivative

financial liabilities should be measured at amortised cost using the effective
interest method.

Investments in equity instruments with no reliable fair value measurement

(and derivatives indexed to such equity instruments) should be measured at
cost.

Financial assets and liabilities that are designated as a hedged item or

hedging instrument are subject to measurement under the hedge accounting
requirements of the IAS 39.

Financial liabilities that arise when a transfer of a financial asset does not
qualify for derecognition, or that are accounted for using the continuinginvolvement method, are subject to particular measurement requirements.

Fair value is the amount for which an asset could be exchanged, or a liability
settled, between knowledgeable, willing parties in an arm's length transaction.
[IAS 39.9] IAS 39 provides a hierarchy to be used in determining the fair value for a
financial instrument: [IAS 39 Appendix A, paragraphs AG69-82]

Quoted market prices in an active market are the best evidence of fair value
and should be used, where they exist, to measure the financial instrument.

If a market for a financial instrument is not active, an entity establishes fair

value by using a valuation technique that makes maximum use of market
inputs and includes recent arm's length market transactions, reference to the
current fair value of another instrument that is substantially the same,
discounted cash flow analysis, and option pricing models. An acceptable
valuation technique incorporates all factors that market participants would
consider in setting a price and is consistent with accepted economic
methodologies for pricing financial instruments.

If there is no active market for an equity instrument and the range of

reasonable fair values is significant and these estimates cannot be made
reliably, then an entity must measure the equity instrument at cost less
impairment.

Amortised cost is calculated using the effective interest method. The effective
interest rate is the rate that exactly discounts estimated future cash payments or
receipts through the expected life of the financial instrument to the net carrying
amount of the financial asset or liability. Financial assets that are not carried at fair
value though profit and loss are subject to an impairment test. If expected life
cannot be determined reliably, then the contractual life is used.
IAS 39 fair value option
IAS 39 permits entities to designate, at the time of acquisition or issuance, any
financial asset or financial liability to be measured at fair value, with value changes
recognised in profit or loss. This option is available even if the financial asset or
financial liability would ordinarily, by its nature, be measured at amortised cost
but only if fair value can be reliably measured.
In June 2005 the IASB issued its amendment to IAS 39 to restrict the use of the
option to designate any financial asset or any financial liability to be measured at

fair value through profit and loss (the fair value option). The revisions limit the use
of the option to those financial instruments that meet certain conditions: [IAS 39.9]

the fair value option designation eliminates or significantly reduces an

accounting mismatch, or

a group of financial assets, financial liabilities or both is managed and its

performance is evaluated on a fair value basis by entity's management.

Once an instrument is put in the fair-value-through-profit-and-loss category, it

cannot be reclassified out with some exceptions. [IAS 39.50] In October 2008, the
IASB issued amendments to IAS 39. The amendments permit reclassification of
some financial instruments out of the fair-value-through-profit-or-loss category
(FVTPL) and out of the available-for-sale category for more detail see IAS 39.50(c).
In the event of reclassification, additional disclosures are required under IFRS
7 Financial Instruments: Disclosures. In March 2009 the IASB clarified that
reclassifications of financial assets under the October 2008 amendments (see
above): on reclassification of a financial asset out of the 'fair value through profit or
loss' category, all embedded derivatives have to be (re)assessed and, if necessary,
separately accounted for in financial statements.
IAS 39 available for sale option for loans and receivables
IAS 39 permits entities to designate, at the time of acquisition, any loan or
receivable as available for sale, in which case it is measured at fair value with
changes in fair value recognised in equity.
Impairment
A financial asset or group of assets is impaired, and impairment losses are
recognised, only if there is objective evidence as a result of one or more events that
occurred after the initial recognition of the asset. An entity is required to assess at
each balance sheet date whether there is any objective evidence of impairment. If
any such evidence exists, the entity is required to do a detailed impairment
calculation to determine whether an impairment loss should be recognised.
[IAS 39.58] The amount of the loss is measured as the difference between the
asset's carrying amount and the present value of estimated cash flows discounted
at the financial asset's original effective interest rate. [IAS 39.63]
Assets that are individually assessed and for which no impairment exists are
grouped with financial assets with similar credit risk statistics and collectively
assessed for impairment. [IAS 39.64]
If, in a subsequent period, the amount of the impairment loss relating to a financial
asset carried at amortised cost or a debt instrument carried as available-for-sale
decreases due to an event occurring after the impairment was originally recognised,
the previously recognised impairment loss is reversed through profit or loss.
Impairments relating to investments in available-for-sale equity instruments are not
reversed through profit or loss. [IAS 39.65]
Financial guarantees

A financial guarantee contract is a contract that requires the issuer to make

specified payments to reimburse the holder for a loss it incurs because a specified
debtor fails to make payment when due. [IAS 39.9]
Under IAS 39 as amended, financial guarantee contracts are recognised:

initially at fair value. If the financial guarantee contract was issued in a standalone arm's length transaction to an unrelated party, its fair value at
inception is likely to equal the consideration received, unless there is
evidence to the contrary.

subsequently at the higher of (i) the amount determined in accordance

with IAS 37 Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets and (ii)
the amount initially recognised less, when appropriate, cumulative
amortisation recognised in accordance with IAS 18 Revenue. (If specified
criteria are met, the issuer may use the fair value option in IAS 39.
Furthermore, different requirements continue to apply in the specialised
context of a 'failed' derecognition transaction.)

Some credit-related guarantees do not, as a precondition for payment, require that

the holder is exposed to, and has incurred a loss on, the failure of the debtor to
make payments on the guaranteed asset when due. An example of such a
guarantee is a credit derivative that requires payments in response to changes in a
specified credit rating or credit index. These are derivatives and they must be
measured at fair value under IAS 39.
Derecognition of a financial asset
The basic premise for the derecognition model in IAS 39 is to determine whether the
asset under consideration for derecognition is: [IAS 39.16]

an asset in its entirety or

specifically identified cash flows from an asset or

a fully proportionate share of the cash flows from an asset or

a fully proportionate share of specifically identified cash flows from a financial

asset

Once the asset under consideration for derecognition has been determined, an
assessment is made as to whether the asset has been transferred, and if so,
whether the transfer of that asset is subsequently eligible for derecognition.
An asset is transferred if either the entity has transferred the contractual rights to
receive the cash flows, or the entity has retained the contractual rights to receive
the cash flows from the asset, but has assumed a contractual obligation to pass
those cash flows on under an arrangement that meets the following three
conditions: [IAS 39.17-19]

the entity has no obligation to pay amounts to the eventual recipient unless it
collects equivalent amounts on the original asset

the entity is prohibited from selling or pledging the original asset (other than
as security to the eventual recipient),

the entity has an obligation to remit those cash flows without material delay

Once an entity has determined that the asset has been transferred, it then
determines whether or not it has transferred substantially all of the risks and
rewards of ownership of the asset. If substantially all the risks and rewards have
been transferred, the asset is derecognised. If substantially all the risks and rewards
have been retained, derecognition of the asset is precluded. [IAS 39.20]
If the entity has neither retained nor transferred substantially all of the risks and
rewards of the asset, then the entity must assess whether it has relinquished control
of the asset or not. If the entity does not control the asset then derecognition is
appropriate; however if the entity has retained control of the asset, then the entity
continues to recognise the asset to the extent to which it has a continuing
involvement in the asset. [IAS 39.30]
These various derecognition steps are summarised in the decision tree in AG36.
Derecognition of a financial liability
A financial liability should be removed from the balance sheet when, and only when,
it is extinguished, that is, when the obligation specified in the contract is either
discharged or cancelled or expires. [IAS 39.39] Where there has been an exchange
between an existing borrower and lender of debt instruments with substantially
different terms, or there has been a substantial modification of the terms of an
existing financial liability, this transaction is accounted for as an extinguishment of
the original financial liability and the recognition of a new financial liability. A gain or
loss from extinguishment of the original financial liability is recognised in profit or
loss. [IAS 39.40-41]
Hedge accounting
IAS 39 permits hedge accounting under certain circumstances provided that the
hedging relationship is: [IAS 39.88]

formally designated and documented, including the entity's risk management

objective and strategy for undertaking the hedge, identification of the
hedging instrument, the hedged item, the nature of the risk being hedged,
and how the entity will assess the hedging instrument's effectiveness and

expected to be highly effective in achieving offsetting changes in fair value or

cash flows attributable to the hedged risk as designated and documented,
and effectiveness can be reliably measured and

assessed on an ongoing basis and determined to have been highly effective

Hedging instruments

Hedging instrument is an instrument whose fair value or cash flows are expected to
offset changes in the fair value or cash flows of a designated hedged item.
[IAS 39.9]
All derivative contracts with an external counterparty may be designated as
hedging instruments except for some written options. A non-derivative financial
asset or liability may not be designated as a hedging instrument except as a hedge
of foreign currency risk. [IAS 39.72]
For hedge accounting purposes, only instruments that involve a party external to
the reporting entity can be designated as a hedging instrument. This applies to
intragroup transactions as well (with the exception of certain foreign currency
hedges of forecast intragroup transactions see below). However, they may qualify
for hedge accounting in individual financial statements. [IAS 39.73]
Hedged items
Hedged item is an item that exposes the entity to risk of changes in fair value or
future cash flows and is designated as being hedged. [IAS 39.9]
A hedged item can be: [IAS 39.78-82]

a single recognised asset or liability, firm commitment, highly probable

transaction or a net investment in a foreign operation

a group of assets, liabilities, firm commitments, highly probable forecast

transactions or net investments in foreign operations with similar risk
characteristics

a held-to-maturity investment for foreign currency or credit risk (but not for
interest risk or prepayment risk)

a portion of the cash flows or fair value of a financial asset or financial liability
or

a non-financial item for foreign currency risk only for all risks of the entire
item

in a portfolio hedge of interest rate risk (Macro Hedge) only, a portion of the
portfolio of financial assets or financial liabilities that share the risk being
hedged

In April 2005, the IASB amended IAS 39 to permit the foreign currency risk of a
highly probable intragroup forecast transaction to qualify as the hedged item in a
cash flow hedge in consolidated financial statements provided that the transaction
is denominated in a currency other than the functional currency of the entity
entering into that transaction and the foreign currency risk will affect consolidated
financial statements. [IAS 39.80]
In 30 July 2008, the IASB amended IAS 39 to clarify two hedge accounting issues:

inflation in a financial hedged item

a one-sided risk in a hedged item.

Effectiveness
IAS 39 requires hedge effectiveness to be assessed both prospectively and
retrospectively. To qualify for hedge accounting at the inception of a hedge and, at a
minimum, at each reporting date, the changes in the fair value or cash flows of the
hedged item attributable to the hedged risk must be expected to be highly effective
in offsetting the changes in the fair value or cash flows of the hedging instrument
on a prospective basis, and on a retrospective basis where actual results are within
a range of 80% to 125%.
All hedge ineffectiveness is recognised immediately in profit or loss (including
ineffectiveness within the 80% to 125% window).
Categories of hedges
A fair value hedge is a hedge of the exposure to changes in fair value of a
recognised asset or liability or a previously unrecognised firm commitment or an
identified portion of such an asset, liability or firm commitment, that is attributable
to a particular risk and could affect profit or loss. [IAS 39.86(a)] The gain or loss
from the change in fair value of the hedging instrument is recognised immediately
in profit or loss. At the same time the carrying amount of the hedged item is
adjusted for the corresponding gain or loss with respect to the hedged risk, which is
also recognised immediately in net profit or loss. [IAS 39.89]
A cash flow hedge is a hedge of the exposure to variability in cash flows that (i) is
attributable to a particular risk associated with a recognised asset or liability (such
as all or some future interest payments on variable rate debt) or a highly probable
forecast transaction and (ii) could affect profit or loss. [IAS 39.86(b)] The portion of
the gain or loss on the hedging instrument that is determined to be an effective
hedge is recognised in other comprehensive income. [IAS 39.95]
If a hedge of a forecast transaction subsequently results in the recognition of a
financial asset or a financial liability, any gain or loss on the hedging instrument
that was previously recognised directly in equity is 'recycled' into profit or loss in the
same period(s) in which the financial asset or liability affects profit or loss.
[IAS 39.97]
If a hedge of a forecast transaction subsequently results in the recognition of a nonfinancial asset or non-financial liability, then the entity has an accounting policy
option that must be applied to all such hedges of forecast transactions: [IAS 39.98]

Same accounting as for recognition of a financial asset or financial liability

any gain or loss on the hedging instrument that was previously recognised in
other comprehensive income is 'recycled' into profit or loss in the same
period(s) in which the non-financial asset or liability affects profit or loss.

'Basis adjustment' of the acquired non-financial asset or liability the gain or

loss on the hedging instrument that was previously recognised in other

comprehensive income is removed from equity and is included in the initial

cost or other carrying amount of the acquired non-financial asset or liability.
A hedge of a net investment in a foreign operation as defined in IAS 21 The
Effects of Changes in Foreign Exchange Rates is accounted for similarly to a cash
flow hedge. [IAS 39.102]
A hedge of the foreign currency risk of a firm commitment may be accounted
for as a fair value hedge or as a cash flow hedge.
Discontinuation of hedge accounting
Hedge accounting must be discontinued prospectively if: [IAS 39.91 and 39.101]

the hedging instrument expires or is sold, terminated, or exercised

the hedge no longer meets the hedge accounting criteria for example it is
no longer effective

for cash flow hedges the forecast transaction is no longer expected to occur,
or

the entity revokes the hedge designation

In June 2013, the IASB amended IAS 39 to make it clear that there is no need to
discontinue hedge accounting if a hedging derivative is novated, provided certain
criteria are met. [IAS 39.91 and IAS 39.101]
For the purpose of measuring the carrying amount of the hedged item when fair
value hedge accounting ceases, a revised effective interest rate is calculated.
[IAS 39.BC35A]
If hedge accounting ceases for a cash flow hedge relationship because the forecast
transaction is no longer expected to occur, gains and losses deferred in other
comprehensive income must be taken to profit or loss immediately. If the
transaction is still expected to occur and the hedge relationship ceases, the
amounts accumulated in equity will be retained in equity until the hedged item
affects profit or loss. [IAS 39.101(c)]
If a hedged financial instrument that is measured at amortised cost has been
adjusted for the gain or loss attributable to the hedged risk in a fair value hedge,
this adjustment is amortised to profit or loss based on a recalculated effective
interest rate on this date such that the adjustment is fully amortised by the maturity
of the instrument. Amortisation may begin as soon as an adjustment exists and
must begin no later than when the hedged item ceases to be adjusted for changes
in its fair value attributable to the risks being hedged.
Disclosure
In 2003 all disclosures about financial instruments were moved to IAS 32, so IAS 32
was renamed Financial Instruments: Disclosure and Presentation. In 2005, the IASB
issued IFRS 7 Financial Instruments: Disclosures to replace the disclosure portions of

IAS 32 effective 1 January 2007. IFRS 7 also superseded IAS 30 Disclosures in the
Financial Statements of Banks and Similar Financial Institutions.