Bukele Denies Allegations of Bitcoin Reserve Transfer in El Salvador

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele responded to allegations that the government had transferred control of its state Bitcoin reserves. The claims were made by Spanish newspaper El País, which stated that over 7,763 BTC had been transferred to a private operator.

Bukele denied these allegations, citing an IMF statement regarding the transfer of operational control and majority stake in the Chivo wallet to a private entity. According to the IMF, no public funds were used for Bitcoin purchases since June 27, 2025, and all accumulated Bitcoins came from private donations.

The IMF's clarification came after an agreement with El Salvador to combine the second and third reviews of the Extended Funds Facility (EFF) program. This move is expected to grant El Salvador access to approximately $140 million in additional financing, subject to approval by the IMF Executive Board and fulfillment of agreed preconditions.