Global economic standards have been updated to formally recognize Bitcoin (BTC) and other crypto assets in national asset statistics, so that a crucial shift is marked in the way in which governments measure digital value and financial innovation.
The new system of national accounts (SNA), approved by the Statistical Commission of the United Nations and coordinated by the IMF and other global institutions, classifies eligible for crypto assets as “non-produced non-finance assets”.
Although these assets remain excluded from GDP calculations, they will now appear on national balances, which reflects their growing role in financial systems and portfolios in the public sector.
Crypto receives formal recognition
The revision comes as part of a broader effort to modernize how countries follow production, income and wealth in a rapidly digitizing world.
The IMF, which played a key role in drawing up the update, emphasized the importance of recording the economic footprint of digital assets such as Bitcoin. Although they are good for a relatively small part of global wealth, their volatility and rising acceptance are remarkable implications for financial stability, tax policy and legal supervision.
By taking crypto in national accounts, the updated framework aims to close long -term statistical gaps and helping policymakers to respond to emerging risks more effectively. The changes also include recommendations for measuring artificial intelligence, cloud services and digital platforms.
El Salvador’s Bitcoin strategy
The shift comes in the midst of renewed tensions between the IMF and El Salvador, the first country that Bitcoin accepts as a legal tender.
Despite the fact that the Bitcoin-related policy has been reduced under an IMF loan agreement of $ 1.4 billion in 2024, the administration of President Nayib Bukele continued to claim daily BTC purchases, statements that the IMF has challenged.
The public Bitcoin companies from El Salvador, reportedly more than 6,000 BTC, is now expected to be recorded in national asset statistics under the revised SNA.
The IMF is planning to help countries adopt the new standards by 2029-30, so that may offer greater transparency for crypto-inclusive economies that navigate about financial research worldwide.