El Salvador Bends the Knee on Bitcoin, Complies With IMF

• El Salvador’s Congress passed a bill on Jan. 29 to amend key aspects of its Bitcoin law.
• The changes align with conditions set by the IMF as part of a $1.4 billion aid package.
• The reforms include making Bitcoin optional for businesses and dismantling the government’s Chivo wallet.

El Salvador has caved to pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), agreeing to amend its Bitcoin law in order to secure a critical multi-billion-dollar aid package.

The decision marks a stark reversal for a country that made headlines as the first in the world to adopt Bitcoin (BTC) as legal tender.

Last December, the IMF urged El Salvador to scale back its Bitcoin experiment, citing the volatility of the cryptocurrency and its limited real-world use.

Legislative Changes and IMF Conditions

The reform passed by El Salvador’s Congress eliminates key elements of the country’s Bitcoin policy. Most notably, it removes the requirement for businesses to accept Bitcoin and dissolves the government-backed Chivo wallet, which was central to the Bitcoin initiative.

The bill was passed with overwhelming support—55 votes in favor and only two against. Lawmakers, including Elisa Rosales from the Bukele administration, argued that the amendments were essential for Bitcoin’s long-term viability as legal tender and to facilitate its practical use.

However, the IMF had long raised concerns about Bitcoin’s price volatility and limited adoption. Despite these warnings, President Nayib Bukele mocked the IMF’s stance , insisting that the government would not cave to pressure. Yet, after four years, El Salvador has reversed course.

Did El Salvador’s Bitcoin Experiment Fail?

El Salvador’s Bitcoin experiment , spearheaded by Bukele, promised to revolutionize the country’s financial system, particularly for the unbanked. A national Bitcoin wallet, Chivo, was launched alongside a $50 airdrop aimed at getting citizens involved in the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

At first, Bukele painted a rosy picture, claiming that Bitcoin adoption would attract tourism and provide financial inclusion. The government also touted its growing Bitcoin treasury, claiming substantial profits from the cryptocurrency’s price appreciation.

But on the ground, the reality was less promising. Local adoption of Bitcoin proved sluggish, with a survey from October 2024 revealing that only 7.5% of the population had used Bitcoin for transactions. The Chivo wallet, intended to be a cornerstone of the initiative, failed to gain widespread traction.

While El Salvador has accumulated millions in Bitcoin , the population’s reluctance to adopt the digital currency for everyday use highlights the gap between the government’s ambitions and the realities on the ground.

The IMF’s push for Bitcoin rollback forces El Salvador to confront the shortcomings of its bold experiment.

While the government maintains its Bitcoin holdings , the reforms signal a retreat from its initial plans.

Despite Bukele’s steadfast defense of Bitcoin’s potential, the country’s failure to integrate the cryptocurrency into daily life underscores the difficulty of using digital currencies as viable national currencies.