IMF Approves $138 Million for El Salvador, Waives Bitcoin Conditions
El Salvador has received $138 million from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after the lender approved a waiver for the country's 40-month Extended Fund Facility program. The IMF Executive Board completed the second and third reviews of the program, which has a total size of $1.4 billion. Despite unmet performance criteria, including a ban on additional Bitcoin purchases, the IMF granted the waiver citing 'strong corrective actions' and new policy commitments. The IMF stated that El Salvador will continue to scale back public-sector Bitcoin-related activity, strengthen virtual-asset regulation and governance, and improve transparency around public-sector virtual-asset holdings. No additional Bitcoin purchases are planned beyond recorded donations.