Written by Ezra Reguerrastaff writerReviewed by Yohan Yunstaff editor

Written by Ezra Reguerrastaff writer

Reviewed by Yohan Yunstaff editor

El Salvador’s post-review Bitcoin accumulation used no public funds: IMF

Latest NewsPublishedSep 4, 2026

The IMF attributed Bitcoin added since June 2025 to private donations, addressing questions raised after El Salvador reported a $100 million acquisition.

El Salvador used no public resources to accumulate Bitcoin after the first review of its International Monetary Fund (IMF) financing program in June 2025, as reported by the lender. 

In a Thursday statement, the IMF stated documents supplied by Salvadoran authorities verified that the accumulation came from private donations. as reported by the lender, the rise in El Salvador’s holdings consequently did not reflect additional Bitcoin purchases financed with government resources. 

The IMF also stated majority ownership and operational control of the Chivo wallet had been transferred to a private operator, while the government retained a minority stake and custodial responsibilities. It stated no further accumulation beyond documented donations is expected. 

The explanation addresses how El Salvador’s holdings grew after the first review, after the country stated in November 2025 that it had acquired 1,090 BTC worth $100 million, renewing questions about compliance with its $1.4 billion IMF program. 

Bitcoin additions repeatedly raised questions

In December 2024, El Salvador agreed to limit public-sector involvement in Bitcoin under the IMF package. The agreement made private-sector Bitcoin acceptance voluntary, required taxes to be paid in US dollars and called for government involvement in Chivo to be unwound. 

In March 2025, the IMF issued new documents barring “voluntary accumulation” of Bitcoin by the public sector. President Nayib Bukele responded that the purchases were “not stopping” and stated El Salvador would keep adding at least one BTC daily.

Related: IMF says El Salvador in talks to sell state-run Chivo Bitcoin wallet

Since then, El Salvador’s Bitcoin Office has often posted that it has continued to accumulate Bitcoin. In July 2025, the IMF offered an initial explanation, saying no new Bitcoin had been purchased since the December agreement. It attributed increases to consolidation among government wallets. 

The November announcement reopened the issue. An IMF representative previously told Cointelegraph that the lender would not provide “running commentary” on announcements and would assess compliance in due course.

as reported by the National Bitcoin Office’s official reserve tracker, El Salvador currently holds about 7,764 Bitcoin. At BTC’s current price of $80,900, as reported by CoinGecko, the stockpile is worth about $628 million. The balance remains higher than before the IMF agreement, reflecting additions attributed by the IMF to private donations. 

Magazine: El Salvador’s Bitcoin experiment turns 5: ‘It was for us, not them’

Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.

• El Salvador
• IMF
• Loans
• Bitcoin

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