Cryptocurrency
El Salvador Adds 11 Bitcoin to Reserves Despite IMF Pressure
Tuesday. January 21 at 8:00 AM
1 min. readEl Salvador recently increased its Bitcoin reserves by 11 BTC, worth over $1 million, despite pressure from the IMF to reduce its adoption. The country's Bitcoin Office announced the addition to its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, following a promise made to the IMF to scale back BTC adoption in exchange for a loan. El Salvador's National Bitcoin Office head, Stacy Herbert, stated that the country would accelerate its BTC accumulation after the IMF deal. The IMF has repeatedly advised El Salvador to limit its Bitcoin adoption, expressing concerns about potential risks. Despite criticism, El Salvador legalized Bitcoin as a tender alongside the U.S. dollar in 2021. The IMF acknowledged that some risks of the Bitcoin experiment had not yet materialized but emphasized the need for transparency and risk mitigation. IMF spokesperson Julie Kozack reiterated the recommendation to limit public sector exposure to Bitcoin in October 2024.