The International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced a major policy shift by integrating Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies into its global balance of payments framework for the first time. Released as part of its updated Balance of Payments Manual (BPM7) on March 20, 2025, the IMF now recognizes digital assets like Bitcoin as non-produced nonfinancial assets in international economic statistics. This unexpected move marks a significant step toward mainstream adoption and regulatory clarity for cryptocurrencies.
Under the new guidelines, the IMF categorizes digital assets into fungible and non-fungible tokens, with Bitcoin and similar cryptocurrencies classified as non-liability capital assets. Cross-border transactions involving these tokens will be recorded in capital accounts as acquisitions or disposals of non-produced assets. Stablecoins backed by liabilities, however, are classified as financial instruments, aligning them with traditional assets in economic reporting. The IMF clarified, “Crypto assets that do not have a counterpart liability designed to act as a medium of exchange, like Bitcoin, are treated as non-produced nonfinancial assets.”
The framework also introduces equity-like classifications for protocol-based tokens such as Ethereum and Solana. Holding these assets across borders equates to owning foreign equity, with positions recorded as “equity crypto assets.” The IMF emphasized that staking rewards and crypto yields earned through token ownership may be treated similarly to dividends, depending on the holder’s intent and scale of operations.
In a notable departure from past skepticism, the IMF acknowledged crypto mining and validation activities like staking as “services,” which will now factor into computer services exports and imports. This update enables countries to better track the macroeconomic impact of digital asset transactions and refine policy responses. Experts suggest the shift could encourage standardized global regulations for cryptocurrencies, balancing innovation with financial oversight.
The policy overhaul arrives amid growing institutional adoption of digital assets and follows years of IMF warnings about crypto risks to monetary sovereignty. While the organization previously discouraged nations like El Salvador from adopting Bitcoin as legal tender, its latest stance reflects evolving recognition of crypto’s role in diversifying financial systems.
Sources:
https://www.ainvest.com/news/imf-recognizes-cryptocurrencies-global-economic-data-2503/
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Announces Surprise Change Concerning Bitcoin and Altcoins
IMF updates global standards to include crypto in balance of payments
https://www.mitrade.com/au/insights/news/live-news/article-3-713208-20250322
