The IRS, alongside many other regulators, has been pretty active in the crypto world over recent years.

On Friday, two directors left. You're reading State of Crypto, a CoinDesk newsletter looking at the intersection of cryptocurrency and government.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is actively involved in the cryptocurrency world, and many regulators are keeping a close eye on the digital asset space.

Subscribe to State of Crypto, a CoinDesk newsletter examining the intersection of cryptocurrency and government.

Get the newsletter in your inbox

Two IRS directors have stepped down from their roles.

What happened: Over 20,000 IRS employees, including two directors tasked with overseeing digital assets rulemaking, accepted deferred resignation offers made by the Donald Trump administration.

The employees, who began their paid administrative leave on Saturday, include Raj Mukherjee, the executive director of the digital assets office, and Seth Wilks, the IRS' executive director of digital asset strategy and development, according to two people familiar with the situation.

The sources added that the departures should not indicate any change in the IRS' approach to crypto rules.

The employees accepted the offer, which puts them on paid administrative leave until September, and joined thousands of other IRS employees who accepted the offer.

Both of the sources said that Wilks and Mukherjee left ahead of expected widespread layoffs at the IRS.

The IRS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Related: IRS Is Now Accepting Cryptocurrency Tax Payments Through PayUSA

One of the sources said that the departures were not unexpected, given that the employees were appointed by the Trump administration and the Biden administration has begun filling top roles at federal agencies with its own appointees.

The departures come amid a turbulent period for the IRS, which is facing a backlog of unprocessed tax returns and a surge in taxpayers seeking assistance with new and complex crypto tax rules.

The IRS is also preparing to launch a new cryptocurrency payment platform, which will allow taxpayers to pay their taxes directly in bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies.

The platform, called PayUSA, is expected to be launched later this year or early next year.

It will provide taxpayers with an alternative to traditional payment methods, such as bank transfers and credit cards.

The IRS has been collecting cryptocurrency payments for some time now, but the PayUSA platform will make it easier and more convenient for taxpayers to pay their taxes in crypto.

The IRS is also planning to hire more employees to handle the increasing workload in the crypto division and other departments.

The IRS is committed to providing taxpayers with the best possible service, and the new hires will help the agency to meet the needs of taxpayers in the years to come.

The IRS is a critical institution that plays a vital role in the U.S. economy.

The agency collects the taxes that fund government programs and services, such as Social Security, Medicare, and the military.

The IRS also enforces the nation's tax laws and resolves disputes between taxpayers and the government.

The IRS is a complex and challenging agency, but it is essential for the smooth functioning of the U.S. government and the economy.

The agency's employees work hard to serve the American people and collect the taxes necessary to fund the programs and services that Americans rely on.

The IRS is constantly evolving to meet the changing needs of taxpayers and the economy.

In recent years, the agency has made significant investments in new technology and programs to improve service to taxpayers and enforce the nation's tax laws more effectively.

The IRS is also hiring more employees to handle the increasing workload in the crypto division and other departments.

The IRS is committed to providing taxpayers with the best possible service, and the new hires will help the agency to meet the needs of taxpayers in the years to come.

The agency is also planning to launch a new cryptocurrency payment platform, which will allow taxpayers to pay their taxes directly in bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies.

The platform, called PayUSA, is expected to be launched later this year or early next year.

It will provide taxpayers with an alternative to traditional payment methods, such as bank transfers and credit cards.

Stay tuned for more updates on the IRS's involvement in the crypto world.

And if you have any thoughts or questions on what I should discuss next week or any other feedback you’d like to share, feel free to email me at nik@coindesk.com or find me on Bluesky @nikhileshde.bsky.social.

You can also join the group conversation on Telegram.

See ya’ll next week!