El Salvador buys BTC to breakeven? The IMF has for the first time included Crypto Assets in its global economic report, acknowledging Bitcoin as an asset value.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently released the seventh edition of the Balance of Payments and International Investment Positions Manual (BPM7), which for the first time included cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin in the global economic reporting framework, marking the institution's formal recognition of the value of cryptocurrencies as assets and part of the global economic system. (Synopsis: President of El Salvador: Will not stop increasing positions in Bitcoin, Bugleigh will not dump IMF loan ban) (Background supplement: Bitcoin Kingdom wakes up!) El Salvador made low-key amendments, becoming the first country in the world to revoke BTC) The International Monetary Fund (IMF) released the seventh edition of the Balance of Payments and International Investment Positions Manual (BPM7) on March 20, including cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin in the global economic reporting framework for the first time, officially recognizing crypto's status as a digital "asset" and explaining detailed guidelines on how to classify and document Bitcoin, stablecoins, and crypto assets such as Ethereum and Solana. The IMF's latest BPM7 manual, which updates the balance of payments revised in 2009. According to the new standard, digital assets are classified as fungible tokens and non-fungible tokens (such as NFTs) and are further classified according to whether they bear the relevant liabilities. Among them, the IMF defines debt-free cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin as "non-produced non-financial assets" and is classified as a capital accoun, meaning that cross-border transactions of such crypto assets will be traced as the acquisition or sale of non-productive assets in the capital account. Stablecoin vs. Platform Coin Classification In contrast, stablecoins and similar liabilities-backed digital currencies are considered financial instruments. Platform tokens such as Ethereum and Solana may be classified as "equity" in a financial account if the token holder comes from a different country than the token origin, that is, held across borders. For example, if a UK investor holds Solana tokens from the US, it will be considered to own foreign shares, recorded as "equity crypto assets". The IMF emphasizes that despite the use of crypto, these assets are similar to standard equity in terms of ownership. The IMF further stipulates that mining and staking verification activities will be considered exportable computer services. Activities such as staking and cryptocurrency yields may be treated in a manner similar to "dividends" and recorded as income depending on the size and purpose of the holding. IMF Recognizes Bitcoin's 'Asset' Status The IMF's BPM7 manual, developed in consultation with more than 160 countries, is expected to guide official statistics for years to come, and this update will help countries better track the cross-border movement and economic impact of digital assets. This move marks a clear turning point in the IMF's past skepticism about the value of bitcoin, especially after being leveraged with El Salvador for its adoption of bitcoin as legal tender, the country recently signed a $3.5 billion loan agreement with the IMF, which requires the Saskatchewan government to limit further bitcoin holdings, but the country's President Nayib Bukele did not dump the clause, emphasizing that El Salvador will continue to buy bitcoin and will not change its policy because of the IMF's loan agreement. Now, the IMF's determination to add cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin to the framework of economic reporting is seen by the market as an official recognition of the status and value of cryptocurrencies as "assets", which may further promote the entry of institutional investors, and the ban restricting El Salvador's holding of bitcoin is also expected to be lifted. Related reports Taiwan's central bank acid El Salvador: The abolition of bitcoin fiat monetization is ironic, netizens choke "run and dare to laugh at the first place fall" IMF Managing Director: Bitcoin is still far from being able to compete with the dollar, Crypto is an asset rather than a currency Why did the IMF reverse and recognize Bitcoin as an important international financial instrument? IMF report: BTC has become an important tool for high-inflation countries to preserve wealth and transnational gold flows (El Salvador buys BTC to unhedge? IMF Includes Cryptocurrencies in Global Economic Report for the First Time, Acknowledging Bitcoin's Value as an Asset" This article was first published in BlockTempo's "Dynamic Trends - The Most Influential Blockchain News Media".