IMF Confirms El Salvador Bought No Public Bitcoin, Chivo Wallet Transferred to Private Operator
El Salvador transferred majority control of its Chivo Bitcoin wallet to a private operator and confirmed to the IMF that all recent BTC purchases came from private donations, not public funds.
Why it matters
The confirmation that El Salvador used no public funds for Bitcoin purchases and is reducing government involvement in crypto operations addresses a key concern raised by the IMF during its program review, potentially clearing a path for continued financial cooperation with international institutions.
Key facts
El Salvador reduced public participation in its Chivo Bitcoin e-wallet.
Reported by CryptoPotato
Majority ownership and operational control of Chivo have been transferred to a private operator.
Reported by CryptoPotato
The government kept a minority stake and responsibility for holding customer assets.
Reported by CryptoPotato
Bitcoin acquired since the first IMF program review came from private donations, with no public funds used.
Reported by CryptoPotato
No additional Bitcoin accumulation beyond the documented donations is expected.
Reported by CryptoPotato
A staff-level agreement was reached with the IMF including measures to strengthen governance and risk management of public-sector crypto assets.
Reported by CryptoPotato
Plans include updating El Salvador's digital-asset legal, regulatory, and supervisory framework.
Reported by CryptoPotato
The country's economy grew more than expected in 2025 according to the IMF Mission Chief.
Reported by CryptoPotato
What happened
The International Monetary Fund confirmed that El Salvador has reduced public involvement in its Chivo Bitcoin e-wallet as part of changes to the government's Bitcoin operations. According to CryptoPotato, majority ownership and operational control of Chivo have been transferred to a private operator, with the government retaining a minority stake and responsibility for holding customer assets. El Salvador provided documentation showing that Bitcoin acquired since the first review of its IMF program came from private donations, and no public funds were used for purchases. The IMF staff and Salvadoran authorities reached a staff-level agreement including measures to strengthen governance and risk management of crypto assets held by the public sector, along with plans to update the country's digital-asset legal, regulatory, and supervisory framework. The IMF said no additional Bitcoin accumulation beyond the documented donations is expected. The IMF Mission Chief for El Salvador, Mr. Torres, stated that the country's economy grew more than expected in 2025.
How the story developed
- First report
First report by CryptoPotato
No Public Money Behind El Salvador’s New Bitcoin, IMF Confirms
- Update
El Salvador transfers majority Chivo wallet control to private operator
Government retains minority stake and customer asset custody responsibilities.
- Update
IMF and El Salvador reach staff-level agreement on crypto governance measures
Agreement includes strengthening governance and risk management of public-sector crypto assets and updating the digital-asset legal framework.
- Update
IMF confirms El Salvador's recent Bitcoin purchases came from private donations
El Salvador provided documentation showing no public funds were used for Bitcoin accumulation since the first IMF program review.
Affected entities
Original sources
| Publisher | Report | Role | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| CryptoPotato Crypto media | No Public Money Behind El Salvador’s New Bitcoin, IMF Confirms | Original |
Related events
Robert Kiyosaki Says ‘Biggest Crash in History’ Has Started, Backs Bitcoin
Live updates: Bitcoin climbs over $80,000 as crypto shakes off Clarity failure and higher interest rates
Bitcoin Jumps Past $80,000 as Fed Rate Hike and CFTC News Trigger Short Liquidations
Bitcoin surged above $80,000 on September 18 after a Fed rate hike and CFTC news, triggering hundreds of millions in short liquidations.
XRP drops below $1.30 on CLARITY Act failure and Fed rate hike before rebounding on whale accumulation
XRP fell below $1.30 after a failed Senate vote on the CLARITY Act and a Fed rate hike, then recovered above $1.40 as whales accumulated 1.54 billion tokens over 96 hours.
Fed Raises Rates for First Time Since 2023, Bitcoin Swings Then Settles Near $76,500
The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 25 basis points to 3.75%-4.00% in its first hike since 2023, sending Bitcoin on a brief wild swing before it settled near $76,500.
