El Salvador Halts Bitcoin Purchases Since IMF Loan February 2025

El Salvador has not purchased any new Bitcoin since February 2025, despite repeated claims by President Nayib Bukele and his Bitcoin Office of daily Bitcoin acquisitions. This pause in buying aligns with conditions set by a $1.4 billion loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which prohibits the public sector from voluntarily accumulating more Bitcoin. A July 15 IMF compliance report, supported by a letter from El Salvador's central bank president Douglas Pablo Rodríguez Fuentes and finance minister Jerson Rogelio Posada Molina, confirmed that the government's Bitcoin holdings have remained unchanged and that all wallet addresses have been provided to the IMF for monitoring. The report clarifies that observed increases in Bitcoin reserves are due to consolidations across government wallets rather than fresh purchases. Bukele has publicly insisted that Bitcoin buying would continue regardless of IMF terms, but the official data suggests a recalibration of the country's Bitcoin strategy in compliance with its loan obligations. This development signals a shift from Bukele's prior aggressive narrative on Bitcoin accumulation and may influence investor perceptions of national-level Bitcoin adoption.