IMF: El Salvador’s Bitcoin Growth Financed by Private Donations

IMF confirms El Salvador’s bitcoin growth was funded by private donations, not public money

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said El Salvador did not use public funds to increase its bitcoin holdings, confirming that the additional BTC recorded since the program’s first review came from private donations.

In a statement tied to a staff-level agreement covering the combined second and third reviews of El Salvador’s $1.4 billion financing program, the IMF said it received documentation from Salvadoran authorities showing that all bitcoin added to official holdings since June 2025 was donated privately and that no public resources were used for accumulation.

The clarification addresses a key tension in El Salvador’s IMF program. The fund’s first review called for the public sector’s bitcoin balance to remain unchanged, while the country’s official holdings continued to rise. The IMF’s latest verification provides an explanation for the increase without implying additional government purchases.

El Salvador’s official bitcoin tracker has climbed to about 7,764.37 BTC as of early September 2026, after the balance jumped by more than 1,000 BTC in November and continued to receive one BTC per day.

The IMF also said no further accumulation beyond the documented donations is expected, signaling that the verified donations cover the recent growth and that additional increases are not anticipated under the current understanding.

The bitcoin disclosure arrived alongside broader financing developments. El Salvador is set to receive approximately $140 million following the staff-level agreement on the combined reviews, pending approval by the IMF’s executive board.

Separately, El Salvador’s Central Reserve Bank raised its 2026 growth forecast range to 4.5% to 5%, up from an earlier estimate of 3% to 3.5%, citing strong economic activity in the first half of the year. The updated outlook also pointed to improved security conditions, stronger foreign investor comfort, and momentum in construction and tourism.

• What happened: The IMF verified that bitcoin added since the first review came from private donations.
• Why it matters: It reconciles El Salvador’s rising BTC holdings with IMF program expectations that public-sector bitcoin balances would not increase.
• Broader context: The confirmation was released alongside a staff-level agreement that could unlock about $140 million, subject to IMF board approval.