TLDR
- El Salvador’s bitcoin stash now worth over $644 million, showing $357 million in unrealized profit
- Country holds approximately 6,181 BTC, ranking as the sixth-largest sovereign Bitcoin holder
- Bitcoin recently approached its all-time high of $108,786, trading around $103,643
- El Salvador continues to accumulate Bitcoin despite IMF agreements limiting public-sector involvement
- President Bukele remains committed to Bitcoin strategy, adding 30 BTC last month
El Salvador’s pioneering bet on Bitcoin has paid off handsomely as the cryptocurrency approaches record highs. The Central American nation has seen its Bitcoin holdings surge to an estimated $644 million, generating over $357 million in unrealized profit, according to recent data shared by President Nayib Bukele.
The country currently holds approximately 6,181 BTC, worth about $639 million at current prices. This represents a 124.4% return on their initial investment of $287.1 million. El Salvador has already seen $69.8 million in unrealized gains generated in 2025 alone.
🤷🏻♂️ pic.twitter.com/05izbAR202
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) May 19, 2025
This financial windfall comes as Bitcoin trades around $103,643, after briefly touching $106,500 in recent days. The cryptocurrency has been rallying toward its previous all-time high of $108,786, buoyed by increased investor confidence and expectations of a resolution to U.S.-China trade tensions.
Government Strategy
President Bukele has maintained his stance on Bitcoin accumulation despite reaching agreements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that limit certain Bitcoin-related activities. These agreements, made in exchange for a $1.4 billion financing package, included making Bitcoin acceptance voluntary for the country’s private sector.
“If it didn’t stop when the world ostracized us and most ‘bitcoiners’ abandoned us, it won’t stop now, and it won’t stop in the future,” Bukele previously stated on social media platform X.
The country has found ways to continue its Bitcoin strategy despite the IMF restrictions. While the formal public sector is barred from Bitcoin acquisitions under the loan terms, El Salvador’s Bitcoin Office – technically outside the fiscal sector definition – has continued with its “one Bitcoin a day” acquisition policy.
IMF Western Hemisphere Director Rodrigo Valdes acknowledged last month that “they continue to comply with their commitment of non-accumulation of Bitcoin by the overall fiscal sector,” suggesting the country has found a technical workaround that satisfies IMF requirements.
El Salvador became the first country to formally adopt Bitcoin as legal tender in June 2021, a move championed by Bukele to promote financial inclusion. Since then, the country has steadily built its holdings, even during market downturns.
Global Bitcoin Holdings
El Salvador now ranks as the sixth-largest sovereign Bitcoin holder globally, behind only the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, and Bhutan, according to Bitcoin Treasuries data.
The country’s success with Bitcoin has drawn attention from other nations. Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, former CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Binance, revealed last month that he has been advising multiple governments on building national crypto reserves.
Vedang Vatsa, founder of Hashtag Web3, noted that El Salvador’s profits demonstrate the potential for digital assets to boost national wealth, though he cautioned that widespread adoption remains limited. “Such ambitious economic ideas work best when paired with broader public engagement and a roadmap toward long-term stability,” he said.
El Salvador added 30 BTC to its holdings last month, increasing its total value by approximately $137 million over the past 30 days as Bitcoin prices surged.
Bitfinex analysts attribute the recent Bitcoin rally to “a combination of macro relief, strong ETF inflows, and growing expectations that the Fed will maintain policy flexibility amid softening economic data.”
For now, President Bukele seems determined to continue the country’s Bitcoin strategy. “‘This all stops in April.’ ‘This all stops in June.’ ‘This all stops in December.’ No, it’s not stopping,” he wrote on social media in March, reaffirming his commitment to the cryptocurrency.
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