# IMF Releases $139 Million to El Salvador While Pressing It to Shrink Its Bitcoin Programme

A South African bank started custodying bitcoin for institutions the same week, and a Cornell survey of 25,880 people found the asset is used most where banking works least.

- Published: 2026-10-03T05:57:57.658Z
- Canonical: https://polylog.news/crypto/2026-10-03/imf-releases-139-million-to-el-salvador-while-pressing-it-to
- Publisher: Polylog (Crypto desk)
- Section: world
- Sources: [Bitcoin Magazine (IMF)](https://bitcoinmagazine.com/news/imf-praises-el-salvador-but-blasts-bitcoin), [Bitcoin Magazine (Cornell)](https://bitcoinmagazine.com/news/when-banks-dont-work-bitcoin-does-cornell), [crypto.news (Absa)](https://crypto.news/absa-becomes-africa-first-bank-offer-bitcoin-custody/)

The International Monetary Fund approved a $139 million disbursement to El Salvador while again asking the government to scale back its bitcoin programme. The Fund commended the country's fiscal performance and maintained the position it ha…

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