El Salvador makes $357 million in Bitcoin profits and ignores IMF pressure

• El Salvador accumulates 6.181 BTC despite IMF warnings
• Bitcoin Unrealized Gains Surpass $357 Million
• President Bukele maintains cryptocurrency purchasing strategy

El Salvador’s Bitcoin accumulation strategy, despite strong international pressure, is showing impressive results. With a total investment of $287,1 million, the country now has a BTC portfolio valued at over $644 million. Unrealized gains already amount to around $357 million, as revealed in a recent post by President Nayib Bukele.

The policy of purchasing one Bitcoin per day was maintained even after the agreement reached with the International Monetary Fund, which included requirements to limit state involvement in cryptocurrencies. This agreement was part of a $1,4 billion financing package, which could reach $3,5 billion in total. Despite this, Bukele reinforced that the acquisition policy will remain unchanged, highlighting the resilience of his administration in the face of external criticism.

🤷🏻♂️ pic.twitter.com/05izbAR202

- Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) May 19, 2025

According to data from the Bitcoin Treasuries platform, El Salvador is currently the sixth largest sovereign holder of BTC, with 6.181 units in its portfolio. The United States leads the list, followed by China, the United Kingdom, Ukraine and Bhutan. The legalization of Bitcoin as legal tender, made in 2021, marked the beginning of this accumulation policy aimed at financial inclusion.

Even after the signing of the agreement with the IMF, which provided for the reduction of the country's exposure to cryptocurrencies, the Salvadoran presidency did not back down from its conviction. In January, reforms were approved in parliament making the acceptance of Bitcoin optional for merchants, and no longer mandatory. However, this did not affect the national reserve strategy.

“We are holding our BTC and will continue buying one per day,” Bukele wrote on his X account, when presenting the updated portfolio figures. The publication also reiterated that the country remained firm in its policy even in the face of opposition from the international community and the market retraction at critical times.

At the time of publication, the price of Bitcoin was quoted at US$105.614 with a drop of 0,5% in the last 24 hours.