IMF Grants El Salvador $138 Million After Bitcoin Waivers

IMF Grants El Salvador — The International Monetary Fund has approved an immediate $138 million disbursement to El Salvador, granting waivers after the country missed some performance criteria related to its Bitcoin accumulation.

The IMF’s Executive Board completed its second and third reviews of El Salvador’s $1.4 billion Extended Fund Facility on Thursday. While certain targets were not met, waivers were granted based on what the fund called “strong corrective measures and renewed commitments.” The agency noted progress in financial reforms and the transfer of majority control of the government’s Chivo Bitcoin wallet to a private operator.

In its statement, the IMF said efforts will continue to reduce the state’s involvement in Bitcoin-related activities and to strengthen crypto-asset regulation and governance. It added that “no further Bitcoin accumulation is envisaged beyond the documented donations.”

The fund clarified that El Salvador’s post-review Bitcoin accumulation, which included a purchase of 1,090 BTC in November 2025, used no public funds and was verified to have come from private donations.