El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has expressed interest in purchasing Bitcoins seized by the U.S. government in the Silk Road case. The sale of these 69,370 Bitcoins, valued at approximately $6.7 billion, was authorized by the U.S. Department of Justice. Bukele sees this sale as an opportunity to acquire Bitcoins at reduced prices, considering that the increased supply could cause price volatility.
El Salvador already holds 6,022 Bitcoins in reserves, valued at approximately $557 million, and has been a major proponent of Bitcoin since 2021, when it made the cryptocurrency legal tender in the country. The government of El Salvador also recently amended its Bitcoin Law to make accepting BTC voluntary rather than mandatory for merchants, as part of an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a $1.4 billion credit line.
Bukele's strategy is to buy Bitcoins during times of volatility, as demonstrated by his recent purchases of 18 Bitcoins for $1.71 million. The president also highlighted that the profits from Bitcoin purchases can be used to fund projects in the country.
Sources
1. *CoinDesk*: "El Salvador President Offers to Buy Seized Silk Road Bitcoin" - Original article about Nayib Bukele's proposal.
2. *Bloomberg*: "El Salvador's Bukele Sees Opportunity in US Silk Road Bitcoin Sale" - Detailed analysis of El Salvador's strategy.
3. *Reuters*: "El Salvador's president offers to buy Bitcoin seized by US" - News about Nayib Bukele's offer.