The need to balance risk and innovation has never been greater, as blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies increasingly mature and enter the mainstream, says ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants).

In its new report “ ICOs: real deal or token gesture?”  ACCA has found that due to the upsurge in the use of Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) – originally developed for funding blockchain based innovation - regulation and risk need to be at the forefront of the current conversation.

An ICO investment is made via a cryptocurrency and investors get coins (tokens) instead of shares and thus, many ICOs fall outside existing securities regulation. The last six months of 2017 saw ICOs gaining increased attention from businesses and investors with funds raised 40 times more than in the previous year. ICOs have become popular because businesses can obtain new funding with less complexity and greater speed than traditional methods.

Narayanan Vaidyanathan, head of business insights at ACCA, says:

‘Innovation is crucial to an organisation’s long-term success, but in future, businesses will need to be mindful of the risks and ethical issues posed by cutting corners in using unregulated alternative funding methods.

‘High-short-term gains in using ICOs might look appealing to investors, but it’s easy to fall victim to a scam and for the investment to be lost. Wider risks involved pertain to ICOs being used as vehicles for money laundering.’

Regulators from around the world have adopted various approaches to curb threats posed by investments in ICOs and focus on the two headline features of protection for unsophisticated participants, and whether an ICO qualifies as a security with the associated regulatory controls.

In the US, the Securities and Exchange Commission has identified certain ICOs, which are not acceptable and has put a stop to their fundraising, while others like South Korea and China have banned ICOs outright.

Narayanan Vaidyanathan continues:

‘Now is the time for professional accountants to keep abreast of the developments surrounding ICOs as blockchain and distributed ledger technologies have the potential to be a real disruptor of the finance function. There is a vast opportunity for accountants to guide organisations by staying on top of regulatory announcements in their jurisdictions, and more generally to bring their training in risk, compliance and governance along with their ethical compass to this emerging area.’

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About ACCA

ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global body for professional accountants, offering business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management.

ACCA supports its 200,000 members and 486,000 students in 180 countries, helping them to develop successful careers in accounting and business, with the skills required by employers. ACCA works through a network of 101 offices and centres and more than 7,200 Approved Employers worldwide, who provide high standards of employee learning and development. Through its public interest remit, ACCA promotes appropriate regulation of accounting and

conducts relevant research to ensure accountancy continues to grow in reputation and influence.

ACCA is currently introducing major innovations to its flagship qualification to ensure its members and future members continue to be the most valued, up to date and sought-after accountancy professionals globally.

Founded in 1904, ACCA has consistently held unique core values: opportunity, diversity, innovation, integrity and accountability. More information is here: www.accaglobal.com