President Nayib Bukele has reaffirmed El Salvador’s unwavering commitment to Bitcoin by announcing the country will continue purchasing one Bitcoin per day until the cryptocurrency can no longer be acquired with legal tender. This latest proclamation solidifies El Salvador’s position as a pioneering nation in embracing digital assets.
The consecutive daily Bitcoin purchases have already swelled El Salvador’s reserves to an impressive 5,689 BTC, according to Bukele’s social media updates. This total far exceeds previous estimates of around 2,864 BTC held in the government’s treasury, with the additional coins acquired through various initiatives like the passport program, mining operations, and conversions for local businesses.
In a strategic move to fortify the security of these digital holdings, President Bukele disclosed plans to transfer a significant portion of El Salvador’s BTC assets, valued at approximately $400 million, to an offline device stored in a physical vault within the country’s borders.
This decision underscores the administration’s commitment to safeguarding its cryptocurrency investments for the long term. While the exact motivations behind the cold storage transfer remain unclear, the transparency exhibited by Bukele regarding the nation’s Bitcoin endeavours has garnered praise from the community.
El Salvador’s Bitcoin Trailblazing Amid IMF Criticism
El Salvador’s daring adoption of Bitcoin as legal tender in September 2021 marked an unprecedented global milestone. Despite facing criticism and warnings of economic turmoil from institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), with whom negotiations for financial assistance are ongoing, the Central American nation has resolutely pushed forward with its crypto ambitions.
According to on-chain data from explorers, the initial transfer of over 5,698 BTC to the cold wallet reportedly originated from various sources, including around 1,129 BTC from multisig signatories and an additional 4,000 BTC transferred on March 14th.
As the FOMO surrounding Ordinals inscriptions on the Bitcoin blockchain continues to captivate enthusiasts worldwide, El Salvador’s steadfast commitment to accumulating and securing its Bitcoin reserves solidifies its position as a trailblazer in the realm of state-level digital asset adoption.
