Bitcoin News Today: El Salvador Defies IMF, Buys 21 BTC to Mark Bitcoin Law’s Fourth Year

El Salvador continues its strategic accumulation of Bitcoin, purchasing an additional 21 BTC on September 7, 2025, to commemorate the fourth anniversary of its landmark legal tender law. The purchase, valued at approximately $2.3 million, brings the government's total holdings to 6,313.18 BTC, valued at over $701 million. President Nayib Bukele announced the acquisition on X, reinforcing the nation’s commitment to Bitcoin as a cornerstone of its economic strategy. The 21 BTC purchase symbolizes the cryptocurrency’s 21 million maximum supply, and the government’s ongoing efforts to build a sovereign Bitcoin reserve remain notable, despite ongoing tensions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

El Salvador pioneered the adoption of Bitcoin as legal tender in September 2021, becoming the first country to do so alongside the U.S. dollar. The Bitcoin Law, enacted in June 2021, was designed to foster financial inclusion and reduce reliance on remittance fees. However, the country’s four-year experiment with Bitcoin has yielded mixed results. While the government has continued to acquire Bitcoin at a rate of one coin per day since March 2024, its broader adoption by the population has remained limited. The Chivo wallet, a government-backed platform intended to facilitate Bitcoin transactions, has seen minimal usage. Additionally, the government’s revised Bitcoin Law now allows for voluntary rather than mandatory merchant acceptance, a change made to align with IMF requirements tied to a $1.4 billion loan agreement.

Despite these adjustments, El Salvador has not ceased its Bitcoin purchases, drawing scrutiny from the IMF and other international financial institutions. The IMF’s July report confirmed that the country has not acquired additional Bitcoin since the loan agreement was finalized in December 2024, yet El Salvador’s continued acquisitions suggest a divergence from the agreement’s stipulations. The nation’s Bitcoin reserve remains a focal point, with the government splitting its holdings across 14 wallets to mitigate quantum computing risks, a move it cited as a measure to enhance security and transparency.

The country’s Bitcoin strategy has also extended into education and infrastructure, with 80,000 public servants reportedly receiving Bitcoin certification by 2025, and national programs now offering Bitcoin and artificial intelligence courses. These efforts indicate a long-term vision of integrating digital assets into governance and public life. However, critics argue that more needs to be done to ensure widespread adoption by the general population rather than focusing solely on institutional or corporate integration.

In parallel, the global perception of Bitcoin remains cautiously optimistic, according to a recent survey by the Cornell Bitcoin Club. The study found that Bitcoin’s global trust score averages 4.67 out of 10, with higher levels of trust observed in emerging markets and politically unstable countries such as Nigeria and Lebanon. In contrast, countries like Japan and China showed lower trust in Bitcoin compared to their governments. The survey also noted that Bitcoin is perceived as riskier than traditional assets like gold and real estate but saw increased adoption in regions with higher financial stress.

As El Salvador continues to navigate its Bitcoin experiment, the broader cryptocurrency market remains in a phase of consolidation and cautious optimism. The recent accumulation by El Salvador and other institutional investors, coupled with the growing presence of Bitcoin in corporate balance sheets and ETFs, underscores the asset’s growing legitimacy as a strategic reserve and investment vehicle. However, the long-term success of El Salvador’s Bitcoin strategy will depend on its ability to foster meaningful adoption among its citizens and align with international financial stability requirements.