Nayib Bukele, the incumbent president of El Salvador and prominent Bitcoin advocate, has claimed – and subsequently secured – a second five‑year term after a landslide victory in the country’s February 2024 elections, winning over 80% of the vote and ensuring his Nuevas Ideas party retains a dominant majority in the Legislative Assembly. With around 70% of ballots counted, preliminary tallies showed Bukele above 83% support and projections indicating his party would control roughly 58 of 60 legislative seats, giving him an even more consolidated hold on political power for the 2024–2029 term. Bukele’s re‑election is highly controversial because El Salvador’s constitution contains a prohibition on immediate presidential re‑election, and his candidacy was enabled by a 2021 ruling from a Supreme Court chamber that had been reshaped by his allies in the legislature. Despite those legal concerns, the vote itself was conducted peacefully according to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal and international observers, though opposition parties reported irregularities and Bukele himself alleged that some overseas voting centers, particularly in the United States, blocked Salvadorans from casting ballots. Human rights and governance organizations argue that Bukele’s overwhelming victory comes amid a prolonged state of emergency, extensive concentration of power in the executive, restrictions on access to public information, and documented abuses in his aggressive anti‑gang security campaign, even as that campaign has driven down gang‑related violence and remains popular with much of the population. For international observers and crypto markets, Bukele’s victory signals continuity in his policy agenda, including his signature move to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender and position El Salvador as a crypto‑friendly jurisdiction, though detailed post‑election economic and crypto policy plans are still emerging. At the same time, governance and transparency concerns—such as allegations around opaque use of public funds, including funds associated with the Bitcoin program—are expected to remain a central issue in the country’s relations with multilateral lenders and foreign governments during his second term.

AI-generated background, compiled from web sources — not editorial content.

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El Salvador's Strategic Bitcoin Reserve surpasses 7,600 BTC, now valued at $506M

El Salvador's Strategic Bitcoin Reserve surpasses 7,600 BTC, now valued at $506M

bitcoin.gob.sv ·

Crypto payments firm Truther to launch non-custodial USDT Visa Card in El Salvador on January 29, 2026. The card doesn't require preloading funds or custodial services, and carries a 2% fee on currency conversions, with no IOF tax for Brazilian users. Truther plans to expand its services to other countries, including Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, and Russia, and will integrate more local stablecoins into its self-custody wallet by early 2026.

Crypto payments firm Truther to launch non-custodial USDT Visa Card in El Salvador on January 29, 2026. The card doesn't require preloading funds or custodial services, and carries a 2% fee on currency conversions, with no IOF tax for Brazilian users. Truther plans to expand its services to other countries, including Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, and Russia, and will integrate more local stablecoins into its self-custody wallet by early 2026.

archive.is ·

El Salvador reportedly added 1,090 BTC during the market dip, marking its largest single-day increase. But questions are rising over whether the purchase violates its IMF loan agreement.

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The Block ·

El Salvador’s bitcoin purchases are under scrutiny after onchain analyst Sani presented evidence suggesting the government may be “recycling” BTC across wallets rather than making fresh acquisitions. The IMF has previously raised similar concerns, but President Bukele’s administration continues to post each transfer as a new purchase via the Bitcoin Office.

El Salvador’s bitcoin purchases are under scrutiny after onchain analyst Sani presented evidence suggesting the government may be “recycling” BTC across wallets rather than making fresh acquisitions. The IMF has previously raised similar concerns, but President Bukele’s administration continues to post each transfer as a new purchase via the Bitcoin Office.

news.bitcoin ·

Gold surged past $3,600/oz to a record high as global central banks, BRIC nations, and even El Salvador ramp up purchases, diversifying reserves away from the U.S. dollar. While gold shines as a hedge, Bitcoin advocates highlight its exponential gains and portability as the real long-term bet.

Gold surged past $3,600/oz to a record high as global central banks, BRIC nations, and even El Salvador ramp up purchases, diversifying reserves away from the U.S. dollar. While gold shines as a hedge, Bitcoin advocates highlight its exponential gains and portability as the real long-term bet.

Cryptoslate ·

El Salvador marked Bitcoin Day, celebrating three years of building “Bitcoin Country” since making BTC legal tender. The Bitcoin Office says its progress shows the power of builders—and signals this is only the beginning.

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