El Salvador has continued purchasing Bitcoin despite an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that discourages further accumulation of the cryptocurrency. The Central American country, which became the first to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender, acquired a total of 240 BTC since the IMF's $1.4 billion loan agreement was signed in December 2024. This agreement required El Salvador to cease accumulating Bitcoin and to drop its legal tender status. However, the government has maintained a strategy of buying one BTC daily, initially outlined by President Nayib Bukele in 2022. According to the IMF, El Salvador remains technically compliant with the agreement due to flexible interpretations that may involve non-public sector entities, allowing the nation to enhance its image as Bitcoin-friendly while securing IMF funding. Despite the ongoing Bitcoin purchases, cryptocurrency remittance payments to El Salvador have decreased significantly, falling by 44.5% in early 2025 compared to the previous year, reaching only $16 million in total transfers.

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