Full XBRL vs Simplified XBRL in Singapore 2026: Which Should Your Company File?

Every Singapore company that files financial statements with ACRA must submit them in XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) format. But which template — Full XBRL, Simplified XBRL, or one of the FSH variants — depends on your company's size, structure, and industry. This 2026 guide walks through the four filing formats, the S$500,000 threshold for Simplified XBRL, and which category applies to your company.

What Is XBRL and Why Does ACRA Require It?

XBRL is a structured digital format for reporting financial data. Since 1 November 2007, ACRA has required Singapore-incorporated companies to submit their financial statements in XBRL format alongside their Annual Return.

XBRL tags each financial data point (revenue, total assets, cost of goods sold, etc.) with a machine-readable label. This lets ACRA, IRAS, banks, credit bureaus, and researchers extract and compare data across thousands of companies without manual re-keying.

XBRL is not a separate filing — it's the format in which your financial statements must be submitted.

The 4 XBRL Filing Formats

ACRA recognises four XBRL filing options under its current framework (revised effective 1 May 2021):

1. Full XBRL

Tags the entire set of financial statements
Approximately 210 data elements
Required for larger, publicly accountable, or complex companies
Higher resource and cost investment to prepare

2. Simplified XBRL

Tags a subset of the statements — primarily the statements of financial performance and financial position
Approximately 120 data elements
Available to companies meeting ACRA's "smaller company" threshold (see below)
Filed alongside a PDF copy of the full signed financial statements

3. XBRL FSH (Financial Statements Highlights)

Three variants for specific company types:

FSH (Banks) — Financial institutions regulated by MAS as banks
FSH (Insurance) — MAS-regulated insurance companies
FSH (General) — Companies preparing accounts under a non-Singapore Financial Reporting Standards framework (e.g., IFRS or US GAAP), and Singapore branches of foreign companies

4. PDF Only (No XBRL)

Some entities file only a PDF of their financial statements, with no XBRL required:

Companies limited by guarantee
Foreign companies and their Singapore branches (though these may voluntarily submit XBRL)

Which Format Does Your Company Have to File?

Filing category depends on your company's public accountability and size.

Publicly Accountable Companies

Companies whose securities are listed (or in the process of being listed) on a Singapore or overseas stock exchange, and companies holding assets in a fiduciary capacity for a broad group of outsiders (banks, insurance companies, custodians).

Must file: Full XBRL

Non-Publicly Accountable Companies — Smaller Companies

Non-publicly accountable companies that qualify as "smaller companies" may file Simplified XBRL.

ACRA's "smaller company" threshold for Simplified XBRL requires BOTH of the following:

Revenue for the current financial year ≤ S$500,000, AND
Total assets as at current financial year-end ≤ S$500,000

Important nuances:

The threshold is a strict "AND" test — both revenue and total assets must be within S$500,000. Exceeding either one disqualifies you from Simplified XBRL.
For companies preparing consolidated financial statements (i.e., you control, jointly control, or significantly influence other entities), the threshold is applied to the consolidated figures, unless you're exempt from preparing consolidated FS.
Financial year length is irrelevant — the S$500,000 threshold applies regardless of whether your FY is 12 months or shorter/longer.
For financial statements presented in foreign currency, revenue is translated at the financial year's average rate; total assets are translated at the closing rate on the year-end date.

Non-Publicly Accountable Companies — Larger

Non-publicly accountable companies that exceed the S$500,000 threshold — or that have complex financial statements — must file Full XBRL.

Common misconception: "Small company" vs "Smaller company"

Be careful — Singapore has two different "small" definitions:

Companies Act "small company" (audit exemption) — Any 2 of 3: revenue ≤ S$10 million, total assets ≤ S$10 million, ≤ 50 employees. See our audit exemption guide.
ACRA "smaller company" (Simplified XBRL) — Revenue ≤ S$500,000 AND total assets ≤ S$500,000.

Qualifying for audit exemption does not automatically qualify you for Simplified XBRL. The XBRL threshold is far lower.

Full XBRL vs Simplified XBRL — Side by Side

Data complexity

Full XBRL: Comprehensive tagging of all statements, notes, and disclosures (~210 elements)
Simplified XBRL: Only key statements of financial performance and position (~120 elements)

Who it's for

Full XBRL: Larger companies, publicly accountable entities, insolvent EPCs
Simplified XBRL: Non-publicly accountable "smaller companies" meeting the S$500,000 test

Cost and preparation time

Full XBRL: Higher — often requires accountant or company secretary
Simplified XBRL: Lower — feasible in-house using ACRA's free BizFinx Preparation Tool

Documents filed

Full XBRL: XBRL file only
Simplified XBRL: XBRL file plus a PDF copy of the signed financial statements

Exemptions from XBRL Filing

Not every entity must file XBRL. Exemptions include:

Solvent Exempt Private Companies (EPCs) — Generally exempt from filing financial statements with ACRA (though they must still prepare them). See Exempt Private Company (EPC) guide.
Insolvent EPCs — Must file (in Full or Simplified XBRL as applicable — no exemption)
Dormant companies — Exempt from preparing financial statements under Section 201A of the Companies Act (though they must still file the Annual Return)
Limited partnerships and sole proprietorships — Not subject to XBRL requirements
Companies limited by guarantee — File PDF only
Foreign companies and their Singapore branches — File PDF only

The BizFinx Preparation Tool

ACRA provides a free desktop application — the BizFinx Preparation Tool — to help companies prepare and validate their XBRL financial statements before submission.

Current version: v4.0 (released 25 February 2026)
Built on: ACRA Taxonomy 2026 v1.0
Download: Free from the ACRA website

The tool validates your XBRL file against ACRA's business and logic rules, catching many common errors before submission. However, the mapping of financial statements to XBRL taxonomy is complex — errors are common even for experienced preparers.

For most small companies filing Simplified XBRL, in-house preparation using BizFinx is feasible if your accounts are well organised. For Full XBRL, especially with numerous note disclosures, engaging your accountant or corporate secretarial firm is strongly recommended.

When to Switch Between Templates

If your company grows and exceeds the S$500,000 revenue or total assets threshold in a financial year, you must switch from Simplified XBRL to Full XBRL for that year's filing.

Missing this transition is one of the most common ACRA compliance errors. Review your revenue and total assets against the S$500,000 test at every financial year-end before deciding which template to use.

Penalties for Late or Incorrect Filing

Late filing penalty: S$300 to S$500 per offence
Director disqualification: Directors of companies with repeated late filings may be disqualified from acting as directors for up to 5 years (the "three-strike rule")
Prosecution: Persistent non-filing can be prosecuted under the Companies Act

Late XBRL filing counts toward your company's overall Annual Return compliance record.

How to File XBRL — Step by Step

Prepare your financial statements — Signed, dated, and in accordance with Singapore Financial Reporting Standards (or SFRS for Small Entities if applicable)
Determine your template — Apply the S$500,000 test to decide between Full and Simplified XBRL
Download BizFinx — Get the current version from ACRA's website
Map your financial statements to XBRL taxonomy — Enter the data element by element in BizFinx
Validate — Run the tool's validation to catch business and logic rule errors
Submit — Upload the validated XBRL file (and PDF, for Simplified XBRL filers) via ACRA's BizFile+ as part of your Annual Return

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the threshold for filing Simplified XBRL?

Both revenue for the current financial year and total assets at the current financial year-end must be S$500,000 or less (an "AND" test). Both conditions must be met.

Is Simplified XBRL the same as being a "small company"?

No. The Companies Act "small company" test for audit exemption uses S$10 million thresholds. ACRA's "smaller company" test for Simplified XBRL uses S$500,000 thresholds. Qualifying for audit exemption does not qualify you for Simplified XBRL.

Do dormant companies need to file XBRL?

No. Dormant companies exempt from preparing financial statements under Section 201A of the Companies Act do not need to file XBRL. They must still file the Annual Return.

Are solvent EPCs required to file XBRL?

No. Solvent Exempt Private Companies are generally exempt from filing financial statements with ACRA (though they must still prepare them). Insolvent EPCs must file.

How much does it cost to file XBRL?

The BizFinx Preparation Tool is free from ACRA. Filing itself is included with your Annual Return submission (no separate XBRL fee). If you engage an accountant or company secretary to prepare the XBRL, professional fees typically range from a few hundred to a few thousand SGD depending on complexity.

What happens if I file the wrong template?

ACRA may reject the filing and require re-submission in the correct template. Late resubmission may attract the standard late filing penalty (S$300–S$500).

Related Guides

WealthBridge prepares XBRL filings and handles ACRA Annual Return submissions for Singapore companies. Contact us for a quote.