A new accounting model from the IASB looks to better reflect how financial institutions manage interest-rate risk in their portfolios. The proposed Risk Mitigation Accounting model aims to provide greater transparency in how interest-rate risk management affects financial performance and future cash flows in a dynamic environment.
The proposed model responds to feedback from financial institutions and investors that the current hedge-accounting requirements do not adequately reflect how interest-rate risk is managed in practice, a news release said.
“[It] aims to bring accounting and risk management closer together to enhance internal efficiency and strengthen communication between financial institutions and their stakeholders,” IASB Chair Andreas Barckow said in the release.
The consultation, open for comment until 31 July 2026, is composed of three parts. One includes an exposure draft reflecting proposed amendments to IFRS 9, Financial Instruments, and IFRS 7, Financial Instruments: Disclosures, to integrate the new model and enhance interest-rate risk-management disclosures. According to the release, the IASB is also seeking feedback on its proposal to withdraw IAS 39, Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement.
Comments can be submitted online. The consultation period also includes fieldwork opportunities that will allow interested parties to test the model using their own data and provide practical feedback to the IASB. Fieldwork responses should be emailed to FI@ifrs.org.
— To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Steph Brown at Stephanie.Brown@aicpa-cima.com.