El Salvador expands Bitcoin reserves despite IMF deal

• El Salvador accumulates 50 BTC and totals 6.055 BTC in reserves
• Government adjusts policies to meet IMF requirements
• Crypto sector shows growing interest in the country’s regulatory environment

El Salvador continues to expand its Bitcoin holdings even after implementing regulatory changes to meet International Monetary Fund (IMF) requirements. In the past month alone, the country has acquired 50 BTC, bringing its total to approximately 6.055 BTC, valued at over $606 million. The latest move came on Saturday, when the government purchased an additional 5 BTC, reinforcing its commitment to the cryptocurrency despite restrictions imposed by the $1,4 billion loan agreement signed with the IMF.

At the time of publication, the price of Bitcoin was quoted at US$99.063,95, up 0.8% in the last 24 hours.

The agreement, signed in December, stipulates that the use of Bitcoin in commerce is optional for companies, limits public sector participation in crypto-related activities and prohibits the payment of taxes in Bitcoin. In addition, the government has committed to gradually reducing the public administration's involvement with Chivo Wallet, a state-owned digital wallet created to boost the use of cryptocurrency in the country.

Despite these conditions, Nayib Bukele’s government continues to buy Bitcoin consistently. Since late 2022, El Salvador has adopted an accumulation strategy based on dollar-cost averaging, acquiring, on average, one BTC per day. However, the pace has intensified in 2025, with larger volume purchases on specific days, as occurred in January, when the government acquired 12 BTC in a single operation.

Stacy Herbert, director of the National Bitcoin Office, recently reinforced the country’s commitment to the cryptocurrency, highlighting that “El Salvador will continue to purchase Bitcoin (possibly at an accelerated pace and at a discounted price) for its Bitcoin Strategic Reserve.” The statement signals that, despite international pressure, the country maintains a long-term view regarding the digital asset.

The favorable regulatory environment has also attracted crypto companies. Tether, one of the world’s largest stablecoin issuers, recently moved its headquarters to El Salvador, praising the government’s pro-crypto policy. President Bukele, for his part, has encouraged other tech companies to consider the country as a destination for their operations.

Even with the changes required by the IMF, El Salvador remains determined to consolidate Bitcoin as a strategic part of its economy, demonstrating that the commitment to cryptocurrency goes beyond short-term political and economic circumstances.