It’s no longer secret that President Nayib Bukele has been a passionate advocate for Bitcoin since El Salvador became the first country to adopt it as legal tender in September 2021. From the moment he made headlines by buying Bitcoin for the national treasury, Bukele has repeatedly promoted its use, celebrating milestone purchases and positioning the nation as a frontier of digital-currency innovation.
Continuing that pattern, Bukele took to X (formerly Twitter) once again to announce a new purchase, this time acquiring one Bitcoin to commemorate the country’s annual Bitcoin Day. In his post, he signaled that this symbolic addition reflects El Salvador’s ongoing commitment to holding Bitcoin as part of its reserves.
That one more Bitcoin brings the nation’s total holdings to approximately 6,313.18 BTC, now valued at about $701–702 million based on current market prices.
The timing of the purchase symbolizes the importance of Bitcoin Day, marking the fourth anniversary of El Salvador’s Bitcoin Law, which made BTC legal tender in the country. On this occasion, the government reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining and building its Bitcoin reserves.
However, the move contrasts with terms of a $1.4 billion loan agreement with the IMF, which required the country to halt voluntary Bitcoin accumulation. The purchase has raised concerns about compliance, though the government continues to defend its reserve-building strategy.
Strategically, El Salvador has also been taking steps to bolster its Bitcoin security. Most recently, the National Bitcoin Office shifted its holdings into multiple wallets, capping at 500 BTC per address, and launched a public dashboard to enhance transparency and safety against threats like quantum computing.
Since adopting Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021, the first nation to do so, El Salvador has continued to expand its holdings even amid fluctuating prices and political criticism. By early 2025, the country held just over 6,043 BTC, valued at $611 million. The latest purchase reinforces its position as one of the largest sovereign holders of Bitcoin.
As the country edges closer to its $1 billion reserve target, all eyes are on its evolving Bitcoin strategy, which continues to challenge conventional monetary norms and attract both praise and scrutiny in equal measure.
Read also: Visa Launches “Visa Pay” in DRC to Push Digital Payments Forward
