IMF Restrictions On Bitcoin Purchases: Why El Salvador’s Reserves Grew

SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR - NOVEMBER 18: President of El Salvador Nayib Bukele speaks during the ... [+] 72nd Miss Universe Competition at Gimnasio Nacional José Adolfo Pineda on November 18, 2023 in San Salvador, El Salvador. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
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With a 40-month, $1.4 billion International Monetary Fund’s Extended Fund Facility in place, the IMF restrictions on bitcoin purchases and the Bitcoin policy is now directly tied to El Salvador’s financial stability plan. In this context the IMF clarified that the recent announcement of the addition of more bitcoin to El Salvador’s reserves is “consistent with the agreed program conditionality”.
A key element in this agreement is that the government of El Salvador has committed to not accumulating more bitcoin. At least, that’s what most documents on the matter state. In its letter of intent dated on February 12 and included in the staff report published on March 3, El Salvador’s representatives subscribed to this agreement.
“Over the course of the program, the authorities have committed not to accumulate Bitcoins,” the Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies attached to the letter signed by Central Bank President, Douglas Pablo Rodríguez Fuentes and Minister of Finance, Jerson Rogelio Posada Molina states. This is also included in the Policies Under The Extended Fund Facility Arrangement section.
After President Nayib Bukele apparently contradicted this through his X account, in which he posted that the accumulation is “not stopping,” many questions were raised, and comments regarding the alignment between the fund and El Salvador started to populate the popular social media platform.
I asked about this to the IMF’s communications department and their response suggests a more flexible interpretation.
“The government under the program has committed not to accumulate further Bitcoins at the level of the overall public sector. We consulted with the authorities, and they have assured us that the recent increase in Bitcoin holdings in the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Fund is consistent with agreed program conditionality,” they replied.