The government of El Salvador has clarified that it will continue pushing bitcoin as part of its economic strategy, even as it inked an agreement with the IMF to wind down its bitcoin operations.

El Salvador Keeps Purchasing Bitcoin After IMF Deal

While many lamented the recent agreement between El Salvador and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which included mitigating bitcoin risks as a requirement for a $1.4 billion credit line, the government recently executed bitcoin purchases that seemingly defy what was settled in the document.

Read more: Quid Pro Quo: El Salvador Scores $1.4 Billion IMF Credit by Scaling Back Bitcoin Activities

Stacy Herbert, director of El Salvador’s Bitcoin Office, clarified that, even after the arrangement, the country would continue to purchase bitcoin at “an accelerated pace” as part of its strategic bitcoin reserve strategy. In social media, Herbert also explained that bitcoin would remain legal tender and that several crypto-focused education initiatives would continue to be sponsored by the government.

The Bitcoin Office has reported that the “1 BTC a day” purchasing program will continue. In addition, the country executed additional purchases, adding 30 BTC to its stash during the last seven days and 53 BTC in the previous 30 days.

Read more: El Salvador Will Keep Buying 1 Bitcoin Daily Until BTC ‘Becomes Unaffordable’ With Fiat Currencies, Says President Bukele

While these actions are consistent with President Bukele’s longtime policies, they contradict what the IMF and members of the Salvadoran negotiation party recently reported. The joint party noted that, as part of this $1.4 billion credit line deal, bitcoin’s acceptance by the private sector would be voluntary and the public sector’s participation in Bitcoin-related activities like transactions and purchases would be “confined.” However, this opposes the government’s recent actions, directed to grow its bitcoin purchases.

Deepening on the requirements for this deal to go through, the IMF remarked that legal reforms would “make acceptance of Bitcoin by the private sector voluntary,” hinting at possible bitcoin’s legal tender status removal.

The only common ground between Herbert’s statements and the joint press release involves Chivo Wallet, El Salvador’s official crypto wallet. She acknowledged that Chivo Wallet would be “sold or wound down,” but that other private wallets would operate normally in El Salvador.

Due to these contradictions, there is still confusion about the real scope of the IMF’s deal, and if these actions can hinder the final execution of the credit line.
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