1. What Changed
Prior to ASU 2023-08, crypto assets were treated as indefinite-lived intangible assets under ASC 350-30, measured at historical cost less impairment. The new standard (ASC 350-60) requires subsequent measurement at fair value under ASC 820, with changes recorded in net income each reporting period. This replaces a model that could only recognize decreases in value — never recoveries.
The practical effect is significant: companies holding Bitcoin, Ether, or other qualifying digital assets must now mark their holdings to market at each reporting date and flow changes through the income statement. The old indefinite-lived intangible model — which produced asymmetric, impairment-only adjustments — is no longer permissible for assets within the scope of ASC 350-60.
2. Scope Criteria
A crypto asset falls under ASC 350-60 if it meets all six criteria:
- Meets the US GAAP definition of an intangible asset
- Does not provide enforceable rights to underlying goods, services, or other assets
- Resides or is created on a distributed ledger (blockchain or similar technology)
- Is secured through cryptography
- Is fungible
- Is not created or issued by the reporting entity or its related parties
Notable exclusions: NFTs (non-fungible), wrapped tokens (provide rights to an underlying asset), self-issued tokens. On April 15, 2026 the FASB tentatively decided to expand the scope to wrapped tokens — not yet final guidance.
Walk these criteria interactively with the ASC 350-60 scope decision tool — one question per criterion, with a copyable workpaper summary.
3. Presentation Requirements
- Balance sheet: Crypto assets presented separately from other intangible assets, at fair value
- Income statement: Fair value changes presented separately from changes in other intangible assets
- Cash flow: Sale of crypto assets received as noncash consideration in the ordinary course and converted nearly immediately to cash → classified as operating activities
4. Key Disclosure Requirements
At each reporting period, for each significant holding, preparers must disclose:
- Name of crypto asset
- Number of units held
- Cost basis (method disclosed: FIFO, specific identification, average cost, or other)
- Fair value
- Restrictions, if any
5. Open Questions — and Open FASB Projects
Several areas remain outside ASC 350-60's explicit scope. Two of them are now active FASB projects — follow them on the FASB Digital Assets Tracker:
- Wrapped token accounting — outside scope today; FASB tentatively decided on April 15, 2026 to expand ASC 350-60 to cover them. See wrapped token accounting.
- Stablecoin classification — generally not cash equivalents under current GAAP; tentative FASB examples may change that. See stablecoins as cash equivalents.
- Staking income recognition — no authoritative GAAP; prevailing practice recognizes rewards at fair value when control is obtained. See staking rewards.
- NFT accounting — outside ASC 350-60 scope (non-fungible); falls back to ASC 350-30 indefinite-lived intangible treatment.
- Transaction cost treatment — not addressed by ASU 2023-08; follows ASC 350-30-30-1 general guidance.
6. Key Framework References
- FASB ASU 2023-08 — Accounting for and Disclosure of Crypto Assets (Subtopic 350-60)
- ASC 820 — Fair Value Measurement
- ASC 230 — Statement of Cash Flows
- AICPA Digital Assets Practice Aid (January 2025 revision)