El Salvador’s Bitcoin (BTC) adoption as a legal tender has hit a rough patch in 2025, with the country’s cryptocurrency holdings plunging by nearly $40 million.
On January 1, 2025, El Salvador held 6,000 BTC valued at $555.83 million, with each Bitcoin priced at $92,595. As of April 15, the country’s stash has increased slightly to 6,158 BTC.
However, despite a slight increase in its Bitcoin stash, the total value has dropped to $515.85 million, as BTC’s price fell to $83,930 per coin, a 9.36% decline.
This translates to a $39.98 million loss for the nation, according to the latest on-chain data retrieved by Finbold from Arkham Intel.
El Salvador made history in 2021 by becoming the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender, a move championed by President Nayib Bukele to boost financial inclusion and attract investment.
The recent losses can be attributed to Bitcoin’s volatile price movement in 2025, a year that has seen massive swings, including a record high above $100,000.
El Salvador’s unrealized Bitcoin profit
Although the Central American country is in losses for 2025, its overall position since beginning to accumulate the digital asset remains positive.
For instance, over the past year alone, the BTC haul has gained $113.7 million, a 27.66% increase. As of 2021, the country now holds $237.8 million in unrealized profit, up 82.81% from its original $287.2 million investment.
El Salvador began its Bitcoin journey on September 6, 2021, purchasing 400 BTC at an average price of $46,811. Since then, it has steadily added to its holdings, with an average purchase price of around $45,223.
However, the move has drawn criticism, with the International Monetary Fund repeatedly urging the government to scale back its crypto policies, warning of economic risks and calling for tighter regulation. Public skepticism also remains high, with many citizens believing the strategy has failed.
At the same time, only 20 of the 181 Bitcoin service providers registered with El Salvador’s central bank are operational. The remaining 89% are classified as non-operational, with at least 22 failing to meet key requirements of the Bitcoin Law, including strict financial oversight measures.
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