IMF now says private donations funded El Salvador's Bitcoin growth

The IMF said private donations funded the Bitcoin El Salvador added to its national reserve since mid-2025. Salvadoran authorities provided documentation that the accumulation reflected private donations. The documentation said no public resources were used. The IMF expects no further additions beyond those documented donations. The Bitcoin reserve held 5,968 BTC when the program began in December 2024. The reserve now holds 7,764 BTC, according to El Salvador's Bitcoin Office. The Bitcoin Office said last week that El Salvador had bought more Bitcoin. Its treasury chart showed 31 coins added over 30 days. President Nayib Bukele's government has maintained that it buys one Bitcoin a day. The government announced a 1,090 BTC purchase last November. The government said that purchase was worth roughly $100 million. The IMF's current account differs from its account in September 2025. An IMF communications officer said then that the total quantity of government-owned Bitcoin had not increased. The officer said growth in the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Fund reflected transfers between wallets already controlled by the state. Majority ownership and operational control of Chivo have passed to an unnamed private operator. Chivo is the state wallet launched alongside the 2021 Bitcoin Law. El Salvador retains a minority stake in Chivo. El Salvador remains responsible for safeguarding customer assets. The IMF announced a staff-level agreement on El Salvador's combined second and third program reviews. The reviews would release about $140 million after the executive board signs off. El Salvador must also complete agreed prior actions. The amount equals SDR 101.96 million. The money is a tranche of the 40-month Extended Fund Facility approved in February 2025. The facility is worth $1.4 billion. Its terms require merchant acceptance of Bitcoin to be voluntary. The terms also require El Salvador to collect taxes in dollars. The terms require the country to stop public-sector Bitcoin purchases. IMF staff reached understandings on modernizing digital asset regulation. They also reached understandings on governance and risk management for public-sector crypto holdings. The IMF projects 4.5% growth this year from investment, remittances and tourism. The IMF wants public debt brought toward 80% of GDP by 2030. The IMF did not identify the Bitcoin donors or disclose how much each donor provided.