IMF incorporates digital assets guidance into its global statistical standards

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has incorporated guidance for digital assets into its global statistical standards for the first time, according to CryptoSlate. In its newly released Balance of Payments Manual (BPM7), the IMF categorizes Bitcoin (BTC) as a non-produced nonfinancial asset. In addition, BTC and similar tokens without liabilities are classified as capital assets, while stablecoins backed by liabilities are treated as financial instruments. Assets such as BTC are recorded in the capital account as acquisitions or disposals of non-productive assets. By contrast, tokens with a protocol or platform (e.g., ETH and SOL) could be classified as equity-like holdings in the financial account. Staking rewards gained from holding these tokens may be akin to equity dividends, the IMF also noted, adding that they ought to be recorded under current account income on the basis of the size and purpose of the holding.