India asks IMF, FSB to prepare technical paper on regulating crypto

India, which is currently holding G20 Presidency, has asked the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Financial Stability Board (FSB) to jointly prepare a technical paper on crypto assets, which could be used in formulating a coordinated and comprehensive policy to regulate them.

The international organisations are expected to present their joint paper during the 4th Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in October 2023, said a finance ministry release.

"To complement the ongoing dialogue on the need for a policy framework, the Indian Presidency has proposed a joint technical paper by the IMF and the FSB, which would synthesise the macroeconomic and regulatory perspectives of crypto-assets. This would help in the formulation of a coordinated and comprehensive policy approach to crypto assets," it said.

In their entirety, the IMF's discussion paper, the policy seminar and the joint IMF-FSB paper are expected to integrate the policy questions pertaining to macro-financial and regulatory perspectives of crypto assets and facilitate a global consensus on a well-coordinated and comprehensive policy approach to crypto assets, it said.

Despite the rapid evolution of the crypto universe, there is no comprehensive global policy framework for crypto assets. Given the concerns over greater interconnectedness between crypto assets and the traditional financial sector as well as the complexity and volatility around crypto assets, policymakers are calling for tighter regulation.

The global standard-setting bodies such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Financial Stability Board (FSB), Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI), International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), and Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) have been coordinating the regulatory agenda, while working within their respective institutional mandates, it said.

India hopes to broaden the G20 discussion on crypto assets beyond financial integrity concerns and capture the macroeconomic implications and widespread crypto adoption in the economy, it said, adding, this will require a data-based and informed approach to the global challenges and opportunities of crypto assets, allowing G20 members to shape a coordinated and comprehensive policy response.