What Block's CFO and finance team want peers to know about bitcoin | Fortune

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  Business and Finance on Tue, Nov 04th, 2025 by Fortune

CFOs Seek Answers: What Finance Leaders Need to Know About Bitcoin

The rise of Bitcoin has moved from speculative headlines to a subject of serious conversation in corporate boardrooms. Fortune’s recent feature on the topic lays out the questions that CFOs and finance teams are asking, the barriers they face, and the steps they’re taking to bring digital assets into the mainstream of treasury and risk management.

The Rising Interest and the Lingering Skepticism

While the price of Bitcoin has historically been volatile, its role as a “digital gold” has attracted attention from corporate treasuries looking for new diversification tools. In interviews with CFOs from major banks and multinational corporations, a common theme emerges: a curiosity tempered by caution.

• Risk Management – “We can’t ignore the 50% swing in a single day,” says a senior treasury officer at a Fortune 500 company. “But the question is, how do we protect the balance sheet if we decide to hold any?”
• Regulatory Uncertainty – The Securities and Exchange Commission’s evolving guidance on digital assets, coupled with the IRS’s classification of Bitcoin as property, has left many finance teams unsure about compliance.
• Technology Adoption – The promise of blockchain’s transparency clashes with the lack of standardized infrastructure for custody, settlement, and audit trails.

The article underscores that these uncertainties are not unique to the United States; global regulators are still debating how to fit Bitcoin into existing financial frameworks.

Tax, Accounting, and Governance

One of the most pressing concerns for CFOs is how to record Bitcoin on financial statements. The IRS treats Bitcoin as property, meaning gains and losses must be accounted for on a per‑transaction basis. However, the sheer number of small transactions typical in corporate use complicates record‑keeping.

The piece cites a recent Treasury Board report that recommends adopting the “fair‑value” method for digital assets that are not part of the company’s core business. CFOs are also looking to the guidance from the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), which is working on a standard for “cryptographic assets.” Until that standard is finalized, many finance teams are piloting internal frameworks to reconcile blockchain data with traditional accounting software.

Governance is another pillar. The article highlights a framework developed by the Committee on Capital Markets Regulation that outlines key controls for digital asset management: segregation of duties, multi‑signature wallets, and robust cybersecurity protocols. Several CFOs reported that implementing these controls has taken longer than expected because of the need to integrate blockchain monitoring tools with legacy enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.

Custody and Insurance

Beyond accounting, the practicalities of holding Bitcoin have spurred a wave of solutions. The article describes how third‑party custodians now offer insurance coverage for digital assets, a development that is still in its infancy but growing rapidly. A CFO from a global manufacturer explains that the option to lock up Bitcoin in a multisig wallet with a reputable custodian has made the asset more palatable for the board.

However, the cost of such services is significant. CFOs must balance the premium for custody against the potential return from holding the asset. The article references a recent study published by the World Economic Forum that found the average annual cost of Bitcoin custody for mid‑size firms ranges from 0.5% to 1% of the total holdings.

The Strategic Use of Bitcoin in Treasury

Despite the challenges, several companies are experimenting with Bitcoin as part of their treasury strategy. Two distinct approaches are highlighted:

1. Treasury Hedge – Some firms view Bitcoin as a hedge against fiat currency inflation and sovereign risk. By allocating a small percentage of their cash reserves to Bitcoin, they aim to preserve value during periods of monetary expansion.
2. Cross‑Border Payments – Others are using Bitcoin to reduce the cost and time of international transfers. By settling directly on a blockchain, firms can bypass correspondent banks, avoid foreign exchange fees, and cut settlement times from days to minutes. The article cites a case study from a logistics company that reduced its cross‑border payment costs by 15% after adopting a blockchain‑based settlement system.

Looking Ahead: Building a Standardized Ecosystem

The piece concludes with an optimistic note about the maturation of the crypto ecosystem. With more data on Bitcoin’s price stability, clearer regulatory frameworks, and improving custody solutions, CFOs are beginning to feel that the technology is moving from the fringe to the core of corporate finance.

CFOs, the article argues, need to do three things:
- Educate themselves and their teams on the fundamentals of blockchain and digital asset risk.
- Engage with regulators and industry groups to shape emerging standards.
- Pilot small, controlled use cases to validate accounting models, governance processes, and technology integrations before scaling.

As the Fortune article points out, the decision to hold Bitcoin is no longer a question of “if” but of “when.” By aligning technology, regulation, and risk management, finance leaders can transform Bitcoin from a speculative curiosity into a strategic asset that enhances liquidity, diversification, and resilience.