IMF Capitulates on Bitcoin Bans, Says They’re Not Effective – Decrypt
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is changing its tune on cryptocurrency. After suggesting other countries consider banning crypto, the agency now thinks that might be the wrong move.
On Thursday, IMF economists released a report examining cryptocurrency usage across Latin America and the Caribbean. Acceptance has varied in the region with some countries, like El Salvador, being more open to adoption versus others that are more wary over the perceived risks involved. In their report, the economists leaned into a position closer to adopting cryptocurrencies, but within a well-regulated framework.
"While a few countries have completely banned crypto assets given their risks, this approach may not be effective in the long run," the economists said in the report's conclusion.
This is a swift change from the IMF, which just months earlier said in another report that countries should consider banning cryptocurrencies. That view was held by a handful of directors on its board, but the consensus even then leaned towards better regulations over a ban.
In yesterdays report, IMF economists said that cryptocurrency offered a number of benefits to its adopters. They wrote that crypto offered protection against macroeconomic uncertainty, promoted financial inclusion, and faster payments among other benefits.
They also offered an analysis of recent efforts in Latin America to develop central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).
In a survey shared with officials across the region, the IMF found that half of the respondents said they were considering both retail and institutional CBDC options. What they also saw in CBDCs was a way to promote resilience in communities vulnerable to natural disasters, and create a way to boost financial inclusions in more remote ones.
Most Latin American countries are still in the research stage for CBDCs, the IMF wrote, but others have progressed to the experimental stage. The largest is Brazil, the region's economic powerhouse. Its been examining a CBDC since 2020 and has plans to launch one in 2024.
The IMF also pointed out difficulties in integrating cryptocurrencies into their economies.
In Argentina, the central bank clamped down on crypto in May by banning payment platforms from offering it to customers in the country. Even in El Salvador, which granted legal tender to Bitcoin as a way to settle transactions, the IMF found that it was struggling to become more widely used.
Link:
IMF Capitulates on Bitcoin Bans, Says They're Not Effective - Decrypt
- Trump Medias stock gets a bitcoin bump, but investors still arent happy with the companys crypto plans - MarketWatch - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Men accused of waterboarding a bitcoin millionaire for his password to be freed on $1M bail - Business Insider - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Satoshi-Era Bitcoin Whale Moves $469 Million in BTC After 14 Years - Decrypt - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Did Bitcoin Turn Pretty? Why Summer 2025 Is For The Girls - Forbes - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Companies want Bitcoin treasuries. They need to consider these six factors - dlnews.com - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Strategy expands preferred stock offering to $2B amid Bitcoin-fueled rally Report - Cointelegraph - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- New $2 billion Bitcoin buy shows crypto replacing real estate at core of Trump business empire - Fortune - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Peter Schiff Says UK's Plan to Sell $6.7 Billion In Seized Bitcoin Could Help Budget: 'I Hope The US Doesn't Buy It For The Strategic Reserve' - Yahoo... - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Bitcoin Outlook: Why the Price Surged and Whats Next - Yahoo Finance - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Trump's company is shockingly one of the top holders of Bitcoin - Yahoo Finance - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- BlackRock's Bitcoin ETF Is Outperforming Its S&P 500 FUND - Yahoo Finance - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- What Does Scaling Bitcoin Mean? What Are We Scaling? - Bitcoin Magazine - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Bitcoin could pull back with equities in the coming weeks, warns Piper Sandler - CNBC - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Next Big Crypto to Explode 100x as Bitcoin (BTC) Aims for $200,000 and Ethereum (ETH) $10,000 By December 2025 - Mitrade - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Bitcoin hitting $200K this year very improbable, says analyst - Cointelegraph - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Bitcoin price today: muted around $118k amid regulatory caution; altcoins slide - Investing.com - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- This isnt a top: Heres why Bitcoin analysts say BTC will break $123K - Cointelegraph - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- A surge in Bitcoin treasury firms is eroding first mover scarcity premium: Mizuho - Investing.com - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Bitcoin News Today: Bitcoin Trapped in $116K$120K Range Amid 1.7% Daily Drop as Macroeconomic Events Loom - AInvest - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Bitcoin News Today: Bitcoin Trapped in $119,360 Range Amid 11.4% Forecast, Ethereum Surges 4% on Blockchain Demand - AInvest - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Bitcoin News Today: Bitcoin Surges 30% Since January as ETF Inflows and GENIUS Act Drive Mainstream Adoption - AInvest - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Bitcoin News Today: Bitcoin Price Struggles Between $116K and $120K as Market Awaits July Macro Events - AInvest - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Peter Schiff Says Gold's About To ExplodeAnd Bitcoin Will Foot The Bill - Yahoo Finance - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Bitcoin News Today: LILPEPE Projects 100x Return as Bitcoin Aims for $200,000, Ethereum $10,000 by 2025 - AInvest - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Bitcoin News Today: Bitcoin Faces 3.7% Potential Drop to Fill CME Gap as XRP Drives Toward $2.65 - AInvest - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Trump Media Accumulates $2 Billion Bitcoin. What Comes Next, According to Truth Social Parent. - Barron's - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- 'Wall Streetization' of Bitcoin: BTC Volatility Index and the S&P 500 VIX Boast Record 90-Day Correlation - CoinDesk - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Bitcoin News Today: Tether Mints 1 Billion USDT, Boosting Bitcoin Momentum - AInvest - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Ethereum News Today: Ethereum Surpasses Bitcoin in Spot Volume as ETH/BTC Price Ratio Rises 72% - AInvest - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Ethereum News Today: Ethereum ETFs Outpace Bitcoin as Price Surges 60% on Staking Yields, Regulatory Clarity - AInvest - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Bitcoin Edges Higher While XRP and Ethereum Jump. Why Altcoins Are Surging. - Barron's - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- SpaceX moves $150 million in bitcoin after three-year dormancy: Arkham - The Block - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- New Bitcoin analysis says 'most explosive phase' to $140K is close - Cointelegraph - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Trump Media stock tests the limits of bitcoin accumulation: Morning Brief - Yahoo Finance - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Elon Musk's SpaceX moves BTC worth $153 million as Bitcoin hits all-time high, what makes it 'important' - Times of India - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Bitcoin Price, XRP Drop. Whats Hitting the Crypto Sector. - Barron's - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Its not just bitcoin. Companies are now adding ethereum to their balance sheets. - Yahoo Finance - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- $1 Billion Bitcoin Transfer Triggers Massive Liquidations This Is Where It Was Offloaded - Yahoo Finance - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- How Rare Is Owning 1 Bitcoin in 2025? Fewer Than 0.02% Qualify - Cointelegraph - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- NFL Star Odell Beckham Jr., Who Converted His Salary To Bitcoin In 2021, Says, 'Safe To Say We Still Our Happy With Our Decision'Here's What It Is... - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- I Asked ChatGPT How To Get Rich Off of Bitcoin Heres What It Said - Yahoo Finance - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- ChatGPT Predicts the Price of XRP, Dogecoin, Bitcoin Hyper By the End of the Bull Run - CoinCentral - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Trump Media Buys $2 Billion in Bitcoin for Crypto Treasury Plan - Bloomberg.com - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Strategy vs. Riot Platforms: Which Bitcoin-Focused Stock Has an Edge? - Zacks Investment Research - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Bitcoin++ Privacy-Focused Technical Conference Ahead Of Baltic Honeybadger In Riga - Bitcoin Magazine - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Trump's media company just announced a $2 billion bitcoin buy as it cashes in on the popular crypto treasury strategy - Business Insider - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- DJT stock jumps as bitcoin treasury holdings top $2B - Yahoo Finance - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Fundstrat's Tom Lee: Bitcoin Could Reach Over $1 Million Becoming 'Digital Gold' - Bitcoin.com News - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Bitcoin (BTC) Price Prediction: Analyst Warns Bitcoin May Explode if Key Resistance Breaks - Brave New Coin - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Udi Wertheimer on Why Bitcoin Could Reach $400,000 by Years End - unchainedcrypto.com - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Bitcoin News Today: Bitcoin Cash Surpasses Shiba Inu in Market Cap as Investors Favor Technical Infrastructure Over Meme-Driven Tokens - AInvest - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- How much Bitcoin you need to have today to retire comfortably in 2050 revealed - UNILAD - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- UK working to sell $7B in seized Bitcoin to boost budget: Report - Cointelegraph - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Trump Media says it now has more than $2 billion in Bitcoin - Quartz - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Bitcoin Treasury Corporation (BTCT) Opens the Market - TradingView - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Bitcoin Exchange Inflows Spike What Does it Means for Altcoins? - CryptoDnes.bg - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Bitcoin Has Found a New Purpose. What Could Go Wrong? - Bloomberg.com - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- This $15 Billion 'Wall of Money' Could Send Bitcoin To $200,000 By Year's EndHere's Why These Corporate Buyers Will Never Sell - Yahoo Finance - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- A Bitcoin whale just sold $9.5 billion in crypto that was originally acquired for $54,000 in 2014 recent 80,000 BTC transaction nets an 18 million... - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Bitcoin is expected to rally further. Here's how the pros are investing - CNBC - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Ether's Price Rises, Bitcoin Drops as 'Crypto Week' Comes to a Close - Investopedia - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Mathematically Predicting The Bitcoin & MSTR All Time Highs - Bitcoin Magazine - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Everyone Wants a Bitcoin Treasury - Bloomberg.com - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Crypto firm Bitcoin Standard to go public in deal with Cantor-backed SPAC - Reuters - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Nearly All Bitcoin Wallets Are Now Profitable As BTC Hits $117,500Here's What History Says Happens Next - Yahoo Finance - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Why Robert Kiyosaki Says Bitcoin Is the Biggest Opportunity for Investors - Yahoo Finance - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Bitcoin pausing here for air likely, but another July ATH still possible - Cointelegraph - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Rachel Reeves eyes 5bn Bitcoin sale to help plug black hole - The Telegraph - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Grant Cardone Explains How Bitcoin Became Part of His $1.6B Investment Strategy - Yahoo Finance - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Bitcoin Advocate Says BTC Will Emulate 2021 Dogecoin Run: 'This Thesis Will Retire Your Bloodline' - Yahoo Finance - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Bitcoin golden cross that sparked 2,000% BTC gains is already here - Cointelegraph - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Prediction: Bitcoin Creator Satoshi Nakamoto Will Be Worth More Than Warren Buffett by the End of Summer - Yahoo Finance - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- $1 Billion Bitcoin Transfer Triggers Massive Liquidations This Is Where It Was Offloaded - Benzinga - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Is XRP Still a Millionaire Maker Or Should Bitcoin Still Be the Play? - 24/7 Wall St. - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- These CryptocurrenciesEther, Bitcoin And MoreSurged The Most During Crypto Week Rally - Forbes - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Bitcoin Breaks Records: Rally or Reversal Ahead? - Cointribune - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- The Best Bitcoin ETFs to Buy - Kiplinger - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Bitcoin bubble? How much more is it expected to rise in 2025? - Euronews.com - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Bitcoin resistance at $120K hints at consolidation before impulse rally to $135K - Cointelegraph - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- From Bitcoin to XRP: Key cryptocurrency terms and what they mean - BBC - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]