According to ChainCatcher, citing Cryptoslate, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has included Bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptocurrencies in the balance of payments in the latest version of the Balance of Payments Manual (BPM7).

Based on the IMF's new standards, Bitcoin and similar cryptocurrencies are now classified as non-produced assets in global economic statistics. The updated manual was released on March 20, marking the first time the IMF has included detailed guidance on digital assets in its global statistical standards.

The framework categorizes digital assets into fungible and non-fungible tokens, further distinguishing them based on whether they have corresponding liabilities. Bitcoin and similar tokens without liabilities are classified as capital assets, while stablecoins backed by liabilities are considered financial instruments.

According to the IMF: "Crypto assets without corresponding liabilities intended to serve as a medium of exchange (such as Bitcoin) are viewed as non-produced non-financial assets and are recorded separately in the capital account."