According to a new international economic standard jointly led by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and national statistical agencies, cryptocurrency assets including Bitcoin (BTC) will be officially reflected in national financial accounts. This is evaluated as the first institutional turning point where the world recognizes that digital assets have substantial economic value.
This revision is based on the latest 'System of National Accounts (SNA)' approved by the UN Statistical Commission, and cryptocurrencies are classified as 'non-produced non-financial assets'. As a result, while these assets are excluded from Gross Domestic Product (GDP) calculations, they will be included in balance sheets showing each country's net assets and financial status, thus recognized as official assets. Specifically, this opens the way for cryptocurrencies to be displayed in national financial indicators depending on asset holdings by governments, public institutions, or central banks.
The IMF has pointed out that the current statistical system does not accurately reflect the economic impact of digital assets, considering the substantiality and spread of cryptocurrencies. Particularly, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are being used globally as both exchange and investment instruments, emerging as significant variables in financial stability and tax policies. Accordingly, the new statistical model aims to enhance policy response consistency by statistically 'visualizing' the presence of digital assets.
This revision is also notable for including various new economic elements such as artificial intelligence services, cloud platforms, and digital content as measurement targets. This is expected to strengthen a structure where technology-driven assets are routinely reflected in global financial policy design.
These changes could directly impact El Salvador, which has been maintaining a cool relationship with the IMF. El Salvador, which adopted Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021, has actively purchased Bitcoin despite IMF warnings and currently holds over 6,000 BTC according to official announcements. This amounts to approximately 10.44 billion won in Korean currency (based on 1 BTC = $58,000, approximately 80.62 million won). If the revised SNA is applied, these assets could be reflected numerically in the country's wealth indicators.
The IMF plans to support member countries in introducing the new system by 2029-2030. This is expected to encourage countries with high cryptocurrency proportions towards more transparent financial disclosure and global economic regulatory framework establishment. Ultimately, this could serve as a key mechanism to accelerate digital assets' integration into the institutional framework.
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