IMF Disburses $139 Million to El Salvador and Urges It to Scale Back Bitcoin
The IMF approved a $139 million disbursement to El Salvador while pressing it to reduce state involvement in bitcoin and stop further accumulation.
Why it matters
The IMF folded its bitcoin assessment into El Salvador's programme performance, granting waivers on the accumulation criterion while stating that no further purchases are envisaged. Neither article describes any change to bitcoin itself or to listed assets, so the significance for markets is limited; the story is about a financing condition attached to one country.
Where the sources disagree
Whether El Salvador is buying bitcoin
El Salvador is not buying bitcoin, per the IMF in September
Bitcoin Magazine, Crypto News (CryptoNews.net)
El Salvador does buy bitcoin, per the country's Bitcoin Office
Bitcoin Magazine, Crypto News (CryptoNews.net)
The IMF said in September that El Salvador was not buying bitcoin, while the country's Bitcoin Office has repeatedly said it does buy the cryptocurrency, and neither claim was withdrawn in the Friday statement.
Key facts
The IMF approved a $139 million disbursement to El Salvador, announced in a statement on Friday.
139,000,000 USDReported by Bitcoin Magazine
The IMF said it was trying to reduce the state's involvement in bitcoin-related activities.
Reported by Bitcoin Magazine
The IMF said certain performance criteria were not met, including on the bitcoin accumulation front, and that waivers were granted based on strong corrective measures and renewed commitments.
Reported by Bitcoin Magazine
The IMF said the Salvadoran state's involvement in bitcoin activities is being unwound and that no further bitcoin accumulation is envisaged beyond the documented donations.
Reported by Bitcoin Magazine
El Salvador made bitcoin legal tender in 2021 while it was negotiating a development loan with the IMF.
Reported by Bitcoin Magazine
The IMF said in September that El Salvador was not buying bitcoin, while the country's Bitcoin Office has repeatedly said that it does buy the cryptocurrency.
Disputed figureReported by Bitcoin Magazine
The IMF said economic activity has exceeded expectations, supported by sustained improvements in security and investor confidence, as macroeconomic imbalances continue to be addressed.
Reported by Bitcoin Magazine
What happened
The IMF approved a $139 million disbursement to El Salvador on Friday and used the same statement to push the country toward reducing state involvement in bitcoin. The fund said economic activity had exceeded expectations, supported by better security and investor confidence, with macroeconomic imbalances still being addressed, but that certain performance criteria were missed, including on bitcoin accumulation, and that waivers were granted on the basis of corrective measures and renewed commitments. The IMF said the state's bitcoin involvement is being unwound and that no further bitcoin accumulation is envisaged beyond documented donations. The fund said in September that El Salvador is not buying bitcoin, a claim the country's Bitcoin Office contradicts; President Nayib Bukele said in 2022 the country would buy one bitcoin a day, and Bitcoin Magazine noted it was never clear where the money would come from or whether purchases were taking place. Crypto News republished the Bitcoin Magazine text with a credit to bitcoinmagazine.com, so the two articles amount to one newsroom's account.
How the story developed
- First report
First report by Bitcoin Magazine
IMF Praises El Salvador — But Still Tries To Scale Back Its Bitcoin Project
- Update
Bitcoin Magazine reports the IMF approved a $139 million disbursement to El Salvador while pushing it to reduce state bitcoin involvement
The report ties the disbursement approval to the IMF's push to unwind state involvement in bitcoin-related activities.
- Official statement
IMF statement says economic activity has exceeded expectations
The fund credited sustained improvements in security and investor confidence, and said macroeconomic imbalances continue to be addressed.
- Official statement
IMF says bitcoin performance criteria were missed and waivers granted
The statement names bitcoin accumulation among the unmet criteria and says waivers were granted on the basis of corrective measures and renewed commitments.
- Update
IMF says state bitcoin involvement is being unwound with no further accumulation envisaged
The fund said no further bitcoin accumulation is envisaged beyond the documented donations.
- Update
Earlier IMF assessment said El Salvador is not buying bitcoin
The September assessment conflicts with repeated statements from the country's Bitcoin Office that it buys the cryptocurrency.
How coverage built up
Independent sources over time, counted the way the consensus panel counts them: a republication of a wire story does not move the line.
- 2 Oct 2026, 22:01 UTC: Bitcoin Magazine — 1 independent source, 1 reports
Affected entities
Original sources
| Publisher | Report | Role | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin Magazine Crypto media | IMF Praises El Salvador — But Still Tries To Scale Back Its Bitcoin Project | Original | |
| Crypto News (CryptoNews.net) Aggregator | IMF Praises El Salvador — But Still Tries To Scale Back Its Bitcoin Project | Syndicated |
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