Fair Value of Retail Loans: Are We Following IFRS9 or Misinterpreting It?

This study examines the accounting treatment applied to retail loans using a multiplication factor of 1.3. Answers are sought to the following questions: What is the correct IFRS accounting treatment of loans with a 1.3 multiplication factor in their interest rate, which have appeared in the Hungarian banking sector since 2016? Does the sector report these loans correctly? Is there a possibility for substancebased accounting treatment? How does the different accounting treatment of identical loan types affect the comparability of banks’ financial statements? After discussing the results from the literature and presenting the main features of the loans under review, the methodology of the study is described, before turning to the dilemmas and consequences of the accounting treatment. In this context, the IFRS requirements applicable when choosing the measurement principle for the loans concerned are also analysed. After drawing the conclusions, the paper argues in favour of measurement at amortised cost.