The power over assets or business that is expected to be attained in the future. More specifically, an entity controls an asset or business in the future, when it expects to have substantially all the risks/ rewards incidental to ownership (of an asset/ business). This, in turn, depends on having a direct exposure to, or rights in, variable returns that arise from its involvement with an asset, group of assets, or a business, and also on its ability to affect these returns (negative and/or positive) through that power.

In another context, control may involve a controlling interaction that will take place in the foreseen future between an investee and investor (control of an investee). An investor will control an investee when the former has power over the latter at a certain date in the future. Control is also manifested in the exposure of an investor to, or its rights in, variable returns that arise from its involvement with an investee, and its ability to affect the returns through that power.