The equity method is typically applied when a company's ownership interest in another company is valued at 20%–50% of the stock in the investee. The equity method requires the investing company to record the investee's profits or losses in proportion to the percentage of ownership.
SAFEs were first developed by Y Combinator in 2013 as an alternative to convertible notes. A SAFE agreement is a type of convertible instrument, but unlike debt instruments, SAFEs do not accrue interest or have a maturity date, making them an attractive fundraising option for early-stage startups.
For example, if a SAFE has a valuation cap of $10 million, and your startup's next financing round values the company at $15 million, the SAFE investor's equity will be calculated based on the $10 million cap, not the $15 million valuation.
They are accounted for as equity on the balance sheet. When the Simple Agreement for Future Equity converts to preferred stock, the accounting entries are that the SAFE entry is removed and the amount is credited to preferred equity (ignoring any APIC implications).
A Simple Agreement for Future s is a contract between a blockchain developer and a buyer, who contributes a certain amount of capital for the promise of an equal amount of s when the project meets specific goals. An SAFT is similar to an SAFE, which is for equity.