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<h2 id="imf-clears-el-salvador-on-public-bitcoin-spending">IMF Clears El Salvador on Public Bitcoin Spending</h2>
The International Monetary Fund has confirmed that El Salvador used no government money to accumulate <a href="https://x.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=cashtag_click" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">$BTC</a> after the first review of its lending program concluded in June 2025. <cite>El Salvador used no public resources to accumulate Bitcoin after the first review of its IMF financing program in June 2025, according to the lender.</cite>
The clarification matters because El Salvador's reserve continued to grow even after the government committed under its IMF deal not to expand public-sector Bitcoin holdings. <cite>The explanation addresses how El Salvador's holdings grew after the first review, after the country said in November 2025 that it had acquired 1,090 BTC worth $100 million, renewing questions about compliance with its $1.4 billion IMF program.</cite>
<cite>In a Thursday statement, the IMF said documents supplied by Salvadoran authorities verified that the accumulation came from private donations.</cite><cite>The announcement does not identify the donors or specify the amount of Bitcoin received privately.</cite> The IMF added that it does not expect any further $BTC accumulation beyond those documented donations.
<cite>The IMF also said majority ownership and operational control of the Chivo wallet had been transferred to a private operator, while the government retained a minority stake and custodial responsibilities.</cite>
<h2 id="140-million-on-the-line">$140 Million on the Line</h2>
The disclosure came as part of a broader staff-level agreement covering the combined second and third reviews of El Salvador's 40-month Extended Fund Facility. <cite>IMF staff and the Salvadoran authorities have reached a staff-level agreement on the combined second and third reviews of the 40-month arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility. Subject to approval by the IMF Executive Board, El Salvador would receive around $140 million.</cite>
<cite>The possible $140 million payout is not a new loan. It is the next payment under the existing program, released after El Salvador met the IMF's economic targets.</cite><cite>As of September 4, 2026, El Salvador holds 7,764 BTC, currently worth around $628.3 million. The country's total cost for these Bitcoin holdings is about $388.9 million, giving it a strong unrealized profit.</cite>
On the broader economic picture, <cite>economic activity has outperformed expectations, while fiscal and external imbalances are being addressed in line with program commitments.</cite><cite>The IMF is projecting real GDP growth of 4.5% for El Salvador in 2026, building on a 2025 performance of 3.9% that already exceeded earlier forecasts.</cite>
<cite>Beyond the $140 million in direct funds, the broader EFF program is designed to catalyze more than $3.5 billion in additional multilateral support.</cite>
Sources: <a href="https://www.imf.org/en/news/articles/2026/09/03/pr26285-el-salvador-imf-reaches-sla-on-combined-2nd-and-3rd-rev-under-eff-arrangement" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">IMF: Staff-Level Agreement on Combined Second and Third Reviews under El Salvador's EFF</a> <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/el-salvador-bitcoin-private-donations-imf" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">CoinTelegraph: El Salvador Used No Public Funds for Bitcoin, IMF Says</a> <a href="https://crypto.news/el-salvador-used-no-public-funds-for-bitcoin/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Crypto.news: El Salvador Used No Public Funds for Bitcoin, IMF Confirms</a>

El Salvador's Bitcoin Buying Plans Hit a Wall

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