IMF Says El Salvador Has Not Used Public Funds to Buy Bitcoin

El Salvador has not used public funds to purchase Bitcoin since June 27, 2025, and is not expected to accumulate additional Bitcoin beyond privately donated holdings, according to the International Monetary Fund.

The IMF said El Salvador provided documentation verifying that all Bitcoin accumulated since its first review under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) on June 27, 2025, came from private donations rather than public resources. The disclosure was reported by @WuBlockchain as the IMF and Salvadoran authorities reached an agreement on the combined second and third reviews of the country’s EFF program.

The agreement could unlock approximately $140 million in additional IMF funding, subject to approval by the IMF Executive Board and completion of agreed prior actions.

IMF Reviews El Salvador’s Bitcoin Policy

The IMF’s statement provides an update on one of the most closely watched aspects of El Salvador’s economic program. The country became the first to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender and has maintained a government-linked Bitcoin strategy while negotiating its broader economic policy framework with the IMF.

The latest documentation is significant because the IMF specifically distinguished Bitcoin acquired through private donations from purchases finance with public resources. According to the information cited by @WuBlockchain, the Fund said it does not expect El Salvador to accumulate additional Bitcoin beyond the documented donations.

That position provides greater clarity around the scope of Bitcoin-related activity under the country’s IMF-supported program. It also indicates that the Fund’s assessment is focused not only on the government’s digital-asset holdings but on how those holdings are financed and whether public funds are being used.

El Salvador Seeks Additional IMF Funding

The Bitcoin disclosure comes alongside progress on El Salvador’s wider EFF program. IMF staff have reached an agreement covering the combined second and third reviews, with approximately $140 million in additional financial potentially available after the necessary conditions are met.

The funding remains subject to approval by the IMF Executive Board and completion of the agreed prior actions. Those steps represent the next formal stage before the additional resources can be accessed.

For cryptocurrency markets, the development offers a clearer indication of how El Salvador’s Bitcoin policy is being treated within its international financing framework. The immediate focus now shifts to the IMF Executive Board’s consideration of the combined reviews and whether the agreed prior actions are completed as required.

Writer: Victoria Hale
Technology & Blockchain Writer

Victoria Hale writes about blockchain technology, digital infrastructure, and the intersection of emerging technologies with finance. Her articles explore how new protocols and systems are shaping the evolving digital economy.

She prioritises clarity and accuracy when explaining technical developments to a general audience.