If you're managing filings across more than one market, or simply comparing how demanding Singapore's requirement is relative to peers, this guide is written for that reader.
Why compare at all
XBRL itself is one global standard maintained by XBRL International. What differs country to country is which regulator adopted it, which companies must use it, and what tooling — free or paid — is available to prepare a filing.
The four regimes side by side
| Jurisdiction | Regulator | Who must file | Prep tool |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore | ACRA (via BizFinx) | Most companies; dormant & EPC exemptions available | BizFinx (free) |
| Malaysia | SSM (via MBRS) | Most companies; EA1/EA2/EA3 exemptions available | mTool (free) |
| United Kingdom | Companies House | All UK companies (from Apr 2028) | Commercial software only — no free tool |
| United States | SEC (via EDGAR) | Public companies only | Commercial software / filing agents |
Singapore: ACRA / BizFinx
Singapore adopted XBRL filing in 2007, ahead of most regional peers. Its distinguishing feature is the free BizFinx tool combined with a genuine four-way template split (Full, Simplified, and two FSH variants for regulated financial institutions) based on clear, quantified thresholds.
Malaysia: SSM / MBRS
Malaysia's MBRS system, overhauled as MBRS 2.0 from 2024, sits structurally close to Singapore's: a free preparation tool (mTool) and a simplified filing route (via the EA2 exemption), applied broadly across company types. See our sister site, XBRL Malaysia, for the full detail.
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United Kingdom: Companies House
The UK's incoming regime, confirmed for April 2028, is the broadest in scope of the four — covering all UK-registered companies regardless of size — but notably provides no free government preparation tool; companies must obtain commercial software.
United States: SEC / EDGAR
The US applies XBRL (now Inline XBRL, since 2018) only to public companies filing with the SEC, via the EDGAR system. Private US companies have no equivalent obligation — the narrowest scope of the four regimes.
What's the same everywhere
- Every regime tags individual figures against a taxonomy so a computer can read a filing without a human retyping the numbers.
- Every preparation tool runs validation checks before submission, and tagging errors are a universal pain point regardless of country.
- Every regime has introduced some size-aware simplified or exempt treatment rather than demanding full compliance from every entity on day one.