The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reached a staff-level agreement with El Salvador on the latest reviews under the country’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program. As part of the announcement, the IMF stated that there has been no further accumulation of Bitcoin by the Salvadoran government beyond documented private donations.

The statement is consistent with the program’s monitoring framework, which includes commitments related to the country’s Bitcoin policies. El Salvador’s EFF arrangement, approved in December 2024 alongside a $1.4 billion loan, was conditioned in part on the public sector scaling back its Bitcoin exposure — a condition agreed after more than a year of negotiations in which the IMF had urged the country to limit the risks associated with its Bitcoin policies. The agreement marks another milestone in El Salvador’s ongoing engagement with the IMF, and staff-level agreements typically pave the way for disbursements once approved by the IMF’s Executive Board.

NEW: The IMF says El Salvador has reached staff-level agreement on its extended fund facility reviews, confirming no further Bitcoin accumulation beyond documented private donations. pic.twitter.com/vuHGjGJHGt — Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph) September 4, 2026

Bitcoin Holdings Remain Under Review

According to the IMF’s update, any additions to El Salvador’s reported Bitcoin holdings have been attributed to private donations rather than new government purchases. The clarification comes as Bitcoin policy remains a closely watched aspect of the country’s economic reform program. Under the 2024 agreement, El Salvador also amended its Bitcoin legal tender law so that acceptance of Bitcoin by merchants became voluntary rather than mandatory, and participation in Bitcoin-backed lending initiatives was made subject to IMF oversight.

El Salvador became the first nation to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021, and its Bitcoin strategy has remained a focal point of discussions with international financial institutions. The latest statement provides additional clarity on the country’s compliance with its IMF commitments.

Markets Watch Future Policy Developments

The IMF’s latest update on El Salvador and Bitcoin highlights the continued intersection of cryptocurrency policy and international financial oversight. Investors and policymakers will continue monitoring future IMF reviews and any updates regarding El Salvador’s Bitcoin strategy, as well as the country’s broader fiscal position, which the EFF program is designed to support through reforms to debt sustainability and growth. The country’s approach remains one of the most closely followed examples of sovereign Bitcoin adoption.