Bukele Denies Transfer of El Salvador’s 7,763 BTC Bitcoin Reserves

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has publicly refuted reports claiming that the nation transferred its strategic Bitcoin (BTC) reserves to private operators. Addressing a recent publication by the Spanish newspaper El País, Bukele labeled the claims as "fake news" and "blatant" misinformation. The controversy arose following a statement from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which discussed structural changes to the state-backed Chivo wallet rather than the sovereign cryptocurrency holdings themselves.

Clarification on Chivo Wallet vs. Strategic Reserves

The dispute centers on a technical distinction between the ownership of the Chivo wallet platform and the country's 7,763 BTC treasury. According to President Bukele, El País misinterpreted an IMF report concerning the transfer of equity in the Chivo wallet service to a private operator. Bukele emphasized that the transaction involved only the operational control and shares of the wallet infrastructure, while the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve remains under the direct jurisdiction of the Salvadoran state.

Read carefully, it says the exact opposite. I don't usually respond directly to so much fake news, but this seemed like a good example of how these "journalists" and media outlets lie shamelessly to their readers.

The IMF confirmed that majority ownership and operational control of the Chivo wallet have indeed shifted to a private entity, though the Salvadoran government retains a minority stake and custodial responsibilities for user assets.

IMF Agreement and Reserve Growth via Donations

The clarification comes as El Salvador reaches a staff-level agreement with the IMF for its $1.4 billion Extended Fund Facility. Recent findings indicate that the country’s Bitcoin stash has grown significantly, reaching over 7,764 BTC (valued at approximately $632 million) as of September 2026. The IMF clarified that recent additions to the treasury were not funded by public resources but rather by private donations.

Key points regarding the current status of El Salvador's crypto policy include:

• The government has committed to not using public funds for further Bitcoin accumulation.
• The IMF verified that growth in holdings since mid-2025 stems from documented private donations.
• A preliminary agreement could unlock approximately 140 million SDR ($140 million) in financing.
• The state continues its "one Bitcoin per day" accumulation strategy, though the source of these funds remains a point of international oversight.

The IMF also noted that El Salvador agreed to modernize its legal framework for digital assets to improve transparency and risk management of public-sector holdings.

Despite the shift in the management of the Chivo wallet, the Salvadoran administration maintains its long-term commitment to the Bitcoin Law passed in 2021. As of early September 2026, the country remains the world's first sovereign nation to hold BTC as a reserve asset, even as it navigates stringent reporting requirements and fiscal consolidation goals set by international lenders to reduce public debt toward 80% of GDP by 2030.