El Salvador expanded its Bitcoin reserve on Monday with a 1,090 BTC addition, marking its largest single-day purchase to date. The transfer occurred as the asset slipped below $90,000, as the pro-Bitcoin nation extended its pattern of accumulation during market weakness.
According to the Bitcoin Office, the purchase took place at 6:01 p.m. ET and was valued at an estimated $100 million. The update pushed the country’s reported holdings to 7,474 BTC, valued at roughly $676 million. President Nayib Bukele shared a screenshot of the transaction on X, reiterating his long-standing commitment to daily Bitcoin accumulation, a practice initiated in late 2022.
Hooah! pic.twitter.com/KxMVbUrcGE
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) November 18, 2025
Moreover, the timing aligned with Bitcoin’s retreat to multi-month lows. El Salvador has repeatedly increased exposure during downturns, framing such moments as strategic buying opportunities. It follows in the footsteps of Michael Saylor’s Strategy, which bought millions of BTC over the previous week.
IMF Agreement Raises Questions Over Source of Bitcoin
However, the country’s $1.4 billion program with the International Monetary Fund complicates the narrative. The agreement requires the public sector to halt new Bitcoin purchases, yet Monday’s activity appears inconsistent with that condition. Two senior finance officials stated in July that El Salvador had not bought Bitcoin since February, contradicting both the president and the Bitcoin Office.
Furthermore, an IMF report suggested that changes in reported holdings may reflect internal wallet movements rather than open-market buying. The distinction matters, given the agreement’s restrictions. Yet Bitcoin Office head Stacy Herbert maintains that accumulation continues regardless of external interpretations.
Some 'bitcoiners' trust the words of the IMF over the stacking actions of El Salvador recorded for eternity onto the Bitcoin blockchain … 🤷♀️ https://t.co/4nbSHDOKg0
— Stacy Herbert 🇸🇻🚀 (@stacyherbert) March 4, 2025
The development coincided with renewed interest from other nation-states exploring digital-asset exposure. Bitwise’s European Head of Research, André Dragosch, said several governments are accumulating during downturns, pointing to a broader shift in reserve strategies.
Furthermore, the Czech National Bank recently disclosed its first direct Bitcoin holding worth $1 million, adding another example of sovereign-level experimentation with digital assets.
Market Volatility Adds Pressure to Policy Debate
Bitcoin’s drop of more than 5% over the past 24 hours to roughly $89,664 steered a decline in the government’s reserve update. BTC’s market capitalization slipped to $1.78 trillion, while trading volume surged nearly 43% to $110.6 billion.
Analysts noted that the sharp rise in volume-to-market-cap signaled elevated activity during the decline, suggesting that large players repositioned as prices weakened.
Evans Kelvin
Brenda Kanana
