<\/p>\n
El Salvador, the globe’s inaugural nation to embrace Bitcoin as legal currency, has persistently procured the cryptocurrency in spite of a $1.4 billion loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that contained stipulations against further acquisition.<\/p>\n
The government’s treasury wallet presently secures 6,209 Bitcoin (BTC<\/a>), having incorporated 240 BTC since December 19, 2024, after the announcement of the IMF agreement, in accordance<\/a> with information from El Salvador\u2019s Bitcoin Office.<\/p>\n In December, El Salvador negotiated an arrangement with the IMF<\/a> for a $1.4 billion loan, which mandated the government to rescind Bitcoin’s designation as legal tender and cease its public BTC accumulation.<\/p>\n Nonetheless, the nation has persisted in purchasing one BTC daily, a tactic initiated by President Nayib Bukele in 2022.<\/p>\n Related: <\/strong><\/em>Saylor asserts Bitcoin could rectify Apple\u2019s stock buybacks: Finance Redefined<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n In response to inquiries about the acquisitions, Rodrigo Valdes, head of the IMF\u2019s Western Hemisphere Department, stated that the country remains technically compliant. \u201cEl Salvador continues to adhere to their obligation of non-accumulation of Bitcoin by the overall fiscal sector,\u201d Valdes remarked<\/a> in an April 26 media briefing.<\/p>\n Others highlight the IMF deal\u2019s \u201cflexible\u201d<\/a> interpretation as pivotal to El Salvador\u2019s ongoing acquisitions.<\/p>\n \u201cThe IMF\u2019s \u2018flexible interpretation\u2019 implies purchases may involve non-public sector entities or reclassified assets, sustaining technical compliance,\u201d Anndy Lian, author and intergovernmental blockchain consultant, informed Cointelegraph, adding that this \u201calternative strategy enables El Salvador to preserve its Bitcoin-friendly reputation while securing essential IMF funding.\u201d<\/p>\n Related: <\/strong><\/em>Serbia\u2019s Prince Filip claims Bitcoin is being suppressed, anticipates major rally<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n While El Salvador\u2019s Bitcoin acquisition seems unaffected, cryptocurrency remittance transactions to the nation dropped significantly in 2025.<\/p>\n Cryptocurrency transfers to Salvadoran wallets decreased by 44.5% during the first quarter of the year compared to the same timeframe last year, according<\/a> to statistics from the Central Reserve Bank shared by Diario, a local news outlet.<\/p>\n Crypto remittance payments totaled $16 million in the first quarter of 2025, representing 0.52% of total remittances received in the country, reflecting a $12.8 million drop from the $28.3 million received in the first quarter of 2024, when crypto payments constituted 1.08% of total remittances.<\/p>\nCrypto remittances decrease in 2025<\/h2>\n