IMF Confirms El Salvador’s Bitcoin Growth Was Funded by Private Donations

According to BlockchainReporter, the International Monetary Fund confirmed that El Salvador did not use public funds to accumulate bitcoin following the first review of its loan program. In a press release accompanying a staff-level agreement on the combined second and third reviews of the country's 40-month Extended Fund Facility announced on September 3, 2026, the fund stated that documentation provided by Salvadoran authorities shows additional holdings originated from private donors. No further accumulation beyond those documented donations is expected.

The disclosure explains how El Salvador's holdings continued to rise despite an earlier review requiring the public sector's balance to remain unchanged. The IMF did not identify specific donors or individual contribution amounts. El Salvador's official tracker reached 7,764.37 BTC following balance increases and a continued daily accumulation strategy. El Salvador previously made bitcoin legal tender in 2021, though subsequent agreements made private-sector acceptance voluntary, required U.S. dollar tax payments, and limited public-sector purchases.

Additionally, El Salvador and IMF staff agreed on steps to strengthen the legal and supervisory framework for crypto assets and enhance oversight of public-sector bitcoin holdings. The staff-level agreement remains subject to approval by the IMF's executive board.