IMF Unlocks About $139M for El Salvador After Bitcoin Waiver
Oct 2, 2026
The IMF completed El Salvador’s second and third program reviews and unlocked about $139 million, granting waivers tied to Bitcoin accumulation after corrective measures.
The International Monetary Fund has unlocked an immediate disbursement of about $139 million for El Salvador after completing the second and third reviews under the country’s Extended Fund Facility arrangement.
The board granted waivers for missed performance criteria, including one covering Bitcoin accumulation. El Salvador documented recent Bitcoin additions as private donations and said no public resources were used for those purchases.
What comes next
The IMF said no further Bitcoin accumulation is expected beyond documented donations. It also noted progress on transferring majority ownership and operational control of the government e-wallet Chivo to a private operator, along with advances in financial-sector, transparency, and AML/CFT reforms.
El Salvador’s 40-month EFF arrangement was approved in February 2025 with total access of about $1.4 billion. The latest reviews keep the program focused on fiscal sustainability, external buffers, and reducing the state’s involvement in Bitcoin-related activities while tightening crypto-asset regulation and disclosure.
For traders watching Bitcoin policy headlines, the message is clear: the disbursement goes ahead, but the Fund still expects El Salvador to avoid new public-sector Bitcoin buying under current program commitments.