El Salvador’s Bitcoin Holdings Surge by $357 Million Amid IMF Scrutiny and MicroStrategy’s Legal Challenges

• El Salvador’s Bitcoin holdings gained $357 million as BTC neared $107,000, despite IMF calls for revising the country’s Bitcoin policies.

• MicroStrategy added 7,390 BTC worth $765 million but faces a class-action lawsuit over alleged misleading Bitcoin investment disclosures.

• Other US crypto news highlights include Ethereum’s $205 million inflows post-Pectra upgrade and Ripple’s new cross-border payment partnerships.

Stay updated with today’s top crypto news, featuring El Salvador’s significant Bitcoin gains amidst IMF scrutiny and MicroStrategy’s ongoing challenges.

Crypto News of the Day: El Salvador’s Bitcoin Holdings Record $357 Million in Gains, Nayib Bukele Reveals

El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, revealed the country’s unrealized profits, which reached $357.2 million when the Bitcoin price hit an intra-day high of $107,108. This startling increase reflects the growing significance of cryptocurrency in the country’s economy.

🤷🏻‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/05izbAR202

— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) May 19, 2025

Notably, Bitcoin has since retracted from the intraday high and was trading for $102,962 as of this writing. This volatility exemplifies the risks inherent in cryptocurrency trading and investment.

El Salvador started accumulating Bitcoin in 2021 before adopting BTC as legal tender. A recent US Crypto News publication indicated that BTC pioneer Max Keiser was pivotal in El Salvador’s adoption of Bitcoin.

According to COINOTAG, the country reported its most recent purchase on April 26, with an acquisition of 8 BTC during the week and a total of 31 BTC over the past month, further demonstrating its commitment to cryptocurrency.

Meanwhile, the IMF remains a challenge amid El Salvador’s accumulation spree, calling for reforms to the nation’s Bitcoin Law. This comes amid the IMF’s loan agreement with El Salvador, wherein the Fund seeks to mitigate systemic financial risks.

In December 2023, the Salvadoran government committed to reducing Bitcoin’s mandatory use and its involvement in Bitcoin-related infrastructure.

In an April 26 press briefing, Rodrigo Valdes, Director of the IMF’s Western Hemisphere Department, stated that El Salvador is complying with the agreed non-BTC accumulation policy.

“In terms of El Salvador, I can confirm that they continue to comply with their commitment of non-accumulation of Bitcoin by the overall fiscal sector,” Valdes stated, underscoring the ongoing scrutiny from international financial institutions.

Nevertheless, despite constraints imposed by the IMF, the country continues to accumulate Bitcoin. The nation’s Bitcoin interests align with those of the US amid speculation of deepening diplomatic and Bitcoin-related cooperation, indicating a complex geopolitical landscape.

Beyond the US, Ireland is also monitoring El Salvador’s Bitcoin formula. In a recent publication, COINOTAG reported on plans to export El Salvador’s guidelines to Dublin, with UFC fighter Conor McGregor calling on Bukele and Max Keiser for further discussions.

“Conor McGregor might be coming to El Salvador,” Salvadoran pride shared on X, showcasing the growing interest in the country’s innovative financial approaches.

Elsewhere, Max Keiser argues that the US can never equal El Salvador’s Bitcoin Per Capita (BPC) ratio. He points to El Salvador’s early adoption as a defining factor of its current economic positioning.

“For the US to equal El Salvador’s Bitcoin Per Capita ratio, they’ll need approximately 2.37 million Bitcoin. This is simply an impossibility that will never happen,” Keiser emphasized, drawing attention to the long-term implications of Bitcoin adoption.

MicroStrategy Acquires 7,390 BTC But Faces Class Action Lawsuit For Alleged Misleading Bitcoin Strategy Statements

Meanwhile, Michael Saylor’s MicroStrategy continues its aggressive investment strategy, acquiring 7,390 BTC worth $764.85 million, achieving a notable BTC yield of 16.3% year-to-date in 2025. This reflects a robust investment confidence despite increasing scrutiny.

“MicroStrategy currently holds 576,230 BTC ($59.33 billion), with an average buying price of $69,726 and an unrealized profit of $19.15 billion,” Lookonchain reported, illustrating the substantial stakes the company has in the cryptocurrency market.

Recently, Max Keiser stated that corporations must adopt a similar strategic approach (i.e., “Saylorize”) to survive in the current market landscape. However, this strategy comes with risks, as MicroStrategy is now facing a class-action lawsuit over alleged misleading Bitcoin investment statements.

The lawsuit specifically claims that the company’s executives concealed significant risks, leading to an unrealized loss of $5.9 billion in Q1 2025 due to new accounting rules imposed by regulators.

$MSTR – MICROSTRATEGY INC – CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST MICROSTRATEGY AND EXECUTIVES – SEC FILING

MICROSTRATEGY INC – LAWSUIT ALLEGES MISLEADING STATEMENTS ON BITCOIN STRATEGY – SEC FILING

— *Walter Bloomberg (@DeItaone) May 19, 2025

The plaintiffs assert that MicroStrategy downplayed Bitcoin’s price fluctuations and failed to adequately explain how new fair-value rules could impact its operations. Despite these challenges, the company plans to robustly contest these claims, showcasing the contentious nature of cryptocurrency investments.

Recent reports also indicate that MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin premium is under pressure, particularly following the rise of Bitcoin ETFs (exchange-traded funds), which could disrupt traditional investment strategies.

Chart of the Day

Byte-Sized Alpha

Here’s a summary of more US crypto news to follow today:

• Ethereum led crypto inflows with $205 million last week, fueled by the Pectra upgrade and new co-executive director Tomasz Stańczak’s appointment.
• Binance Alpha listed Xterio (XTER) with an airdrop, but the token price dropped 15.8% to $0.28 despite the listing event.
• Solana earned $1.2 billion in Q1 2025 app revenue, up 20% year over year, with January contributing nearly 60% of the total gains.
• Ripple partners with Dubai’s Zand Bank and Mamo to implement 24/7 blockchain-powered cross-border payment solutions.
• Metaplanet acquired 1,004 BTC worth $104.3 million, pushing its total holdings to 7,800 BTC. Its BTC investment strategy drove a 12.6% stock surge to 702 yen, with shares up 101.7% in the past month.
• Bitcoin ETFs logged $603.74 million in weekly inflows, the lowest in a month, amid market consolidation and cautious investor sentiment.
• Pi Network’s Pi Coin lacks a Binance listing despite 86% community support, raising doubts about its credibility and compliance. Promised support from the $100 million Ventures Fund is uncertain, while 100 live dApps remain unfulfilled, frustrating the community.
• Chaikin Money Flow and Super Trend indicators show strong buying pressure and dynamic support at $1.19 for VIRTUAL, signaling an uptrend.

Crypto Equities Pre-Market Overview

Company	At the Close of May 16	Pre-Market Overview
MicroStrategy (MSTR)	$399.80	$394.50 (-1.33%)
Coinbase Global (COIN)	$266.46	$259.99 (-2.43%)
Galaxy Digital Holdings (GLXY.TO)	$31.49	$32.44 (+3.01%)
MARA Holdings (MARA)	$16.21	$15.81 (-2.47%)
Riot Platforms (RIOT)	$9.15	$8.94 (-2.30%)
Core Scientific (CORZ)	$10.78	$10.51 (-2.51%)