Recently, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) updated its payment balance standard to account for the increasing importance of digital assets. For the first time, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) have been officially recognized in global economic reports.
Analyst Ashcrypto shared a post from X (formerly Twitter) claiming that the IMF called Bitcoin “Digital Gold.” This has sparked a buzz in the crypto community. But Dennis Porter, a well-known voice in the space, quickly questioned this interpretation, saying, “Can the IMF refer exactly to where Bitcoin is “digital gold”? ”
After jumping into an IMF statement, Dennis revealed the cause of the confusion. The IMF actually called Bitcoin “a new digital asset designed to be used as a payment instrument or serve as a store of value.”
Ok, I tracked why people claim that the IMF is saying that Bitcoin is digital gold.
“It’s designed to serve as a new digital asset, or as a store of value, designed to be used as a means of payment.”
This is a massive stretch to jump:
“The IMF says Bitcoin is digital gold.”The important phrase is… https://t.co/2bwmbidrgk pic.twitter.com/wem7ht62cz
– Dennis Porter (@dennis_porter_) March 23, 2025
He said the phrase “designed” is important here, and does not necessarily imply that the IMF officially supports Bitcoin as “digital gold” or guarantees stability or value like gold. It is about recognizing the potential of Bitcoin, not confirming it as a proven asset.
Bitcoin’s “valuable” ideas are being debated because of its volatility. Unlike gold, which has a long history of stability, Bitcoin’s prices can fluctuate significantly.
The latest update to the IMF’s Balance of Payments Manual (BPM7) includes cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC) in its global economic framework. This is the first time the IMF has provided clear guidelines on how to track digital assets in global financial statistics, and is making a major step in crypto in the world of finance.
Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are classified as unproductive capital assets, while stablecoins are treated as financial instruments. The update also changes how cross-border crypto trading, staking and mining tracking is currently recorded as services in exports/imports of computer services in the country.
This update is a major step to helping to officially recognize digital assets as part of the global economy and better track and regulate them in the future.
