El Salvador will continue acquiring Bitcoin despite its agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), according to President Nayib Bukele.
On March 5, Bukele dismissed conjecture that the country would halt Bitcoin purchases and reaffirmed that El Salvador would continue acquiring BTC, regardless of external pressures.
He stated:
“[Our Bitcoin purchases] is not stopping. If it didn’t stop when the world ostracized us and most ‘bitcoiners’ abandoned us, it won’t stop now, and it won’t stop in the future.”
Following his remarks, El Salvador’s National Bitcoin Office confirmed a fresh Bitcoin acquisition, bringing the country’s total holdings to 6,101 BTC—valued at approximately $530 million at the reporting time.
Bukele’s declaration comes amid reports that El Salvador has agreed to limit its government’s direct involvement in BTC-related activities. The IMF outlined that the nation must introduce stricter oversight of digital assets to align with evolving global financial regulations.
As part of this arrangement, the Central American country is barred from purchasing Bitcoin voluntarily, including through mining operations. The only exception applies to Bitcoin obtained via seizures, forfeitures, or other legal enforcement actions.
This development follows the country’s earlier agreement to ease its Bitcoin policies in exchange for an initial $1.4 billion financial aid package from the IMF. The conditions require the removal of mandatory Bitcoin acceptance for businesses and discontinuing tax payments in BTC.
Community reaction
Bukele’s statement has drawn a divided response within the crypto space. While some applaud his continued Bitcoin advocacy, others call for greater transparency regarding how El Salvador will navigate its IMF commitments.
JAN3 CEO Samson Mow suggested that Bukele should clarify how the country intends to maintain its BTC strategy within the new regulatory constraints. Similarly, John Carvalho, CEO of Synonym, called for details on the government’s long-term plan, saying:
“The IMF news seems to clearly prohibit what you are doing, and yet you have taken the deal, so what is your plan and what do you think happens next?”
However, Stacy Herbert, the director of El Salvador’s National Bitcoin Office, criticized those who doubted the government’s commitment.
She stated:
“Some ‘bitcoiners’ trust the words of the IMF over the stacking actions of El Salvador recorded for eternity onto the Bitcoin blockchain.”
[Editor’s Note: The IMF agreement clearly states that the El Salvadorian government may not continue to acquire Bitcoin in any format outside of law enforcement, including mining. Failure to comply with this requirement could cost the country $3.5 billion in aid over the agreement term. There is no trust in the ‘word of the IMF’ required to ascertain these facts. If El Salvador continues to acquire Bitcoin the IMF has the power to revoke funding unless the government has identified a loophole that has not been publicly shared.]
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