Under the arrangement, payments made in Bitcoin are converted to U.S. dollars by a third-party payment system. The tax collector's office said it will not hold any cryptocurrency itself, meaning the county is not exposed to the price swings that have made digital assets a volatile and controversial form of payment.

The change gives residents another option at a time when crypto has become increasingly mainstream in South Florida, a region that has marketed itself as a hub for the industry. But it also raises questions about consumer protection, since Bitcoin transactions are irreversible and the value of the currency can move sharply between the moment a payment is initiated and when it is settled.

Because the conversion happens through an outside processor, the county receives dollars rather than Bitcoin, a structure that shields public funds from market risk. Property owners who use the option should confirm the exact amount credited to their account, since the dollar value of a Bitcoin payment depends on the exchange rate at the time of processing.

The tax collector's office did not say which third-party system handles the conversions or whether additional fees apply to crypto payments. Residents with questions about their bills can contact the tax collector's office directly.

The move comes as local governments around the country experiment with accepting digital currency for taxes and fees, a trend that has drawn both interest and skepticism from fiscal watchdogs who warn that the technology can complicate accounting and invite fraud. For now, Miami-Dade's approach keeps the county one step removed from the crypto market while letting taxpayers use it.