El Salvador Buys Bitcoin as Price Falls Below $90K
El Salvador has made its largest single-day Bitcoin purchase, acquiring approximately $101 million worth of BTC as the cryptocurrency's price dipped below $90,000.
According to El Salvador’s Bitcoin Office, the country acquired 1,090 BTC on November 18, 2025, increasing its total holdings to 7,474 BTC, valued at around $676 million.
President Nayib Bukele announced the purchase via a post on X, formerly Twitter, which included a screenshot confirming the acquisition.
Hooah! pic.twitter.com/KxMVbUrcGE
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) November 18, 2025
Bitcoin Price Drops Below $90K
The purchase occurred as Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, fell below the $90,000 support level, marking its lowest point since April. As of 1:03 a.m. EST, Bitcoin had dropped more than 5% in the past 24 hours, trading at $89,703.33. This extended its weekly loss to over 15%.
Questions Surround El Salvador's Bitcoin Purchases
Despite President Bukele and El Salvador’s Bitcoin Office confirming recent Bitcoin purchases, questions persist regarding the country's actions in relation to its financial agreements.
A $1.4 billion loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) explicitly prohibits El Salvador’s public sector from purchasing Bitcoin.
An IMF report suggested that increases in the country's Bitcoin holdings within its reserve fund reflect the consolidation of Bitcoin across various government-owned wallets, rather than new acquisitions.
However, Starcy Herbert, head of the Bitcoin Office, stated in March that El Salvador continues to buy Bitcoin, seemingly in defiance of the IMF deal.
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
Herbert commented on this discrepancy, stating, "Some ‘bitcoiners’ trust the words of the IMF over the stacking actions of El Salvador recorded for eternity onto the Bitcoin blockchain."
MicroStrategy Adds to Bitcoin Reserves with Largest Buy Since July
MicroStrategy also took advantage of the price dip, announcing its own significant Bitcoin acquisition. The company disclosed in an 8-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that it executed its largest Bitcoin purchase since July.
In its latest acquisition, MicroStrategy bought 8,178 BTC for approximately $835.6 million, at an average price of $102,171 per Bitcoin, between November 10 and November 16, 2025.
Following this purchase, MicroStrategy's share price closed the trading session down more than 2%.
MicroStrategy is currently the largest Bitcoin treasury holder globally, possessing more than ten times the amount of Bitcoin held by the next-largest firm, according to data from Bitcoin Treasuries.
MicroStrategy's recent purchases were funded by proceeds from at-the-market sales of its perpetual Strike preferred stock (STRK), perpetual Strife preferred stock (STRF), and perpetual Stretch preferred stock (STRC). The company also utilized proceeds from its recently introduced euro-denominated preferred stock (STRE).
This purchase by MicroStrategy followed rumors that the company had sold some of its Bitcoin holdings the previous week, which had triggered a wave of panic selling in the retail market. CEO Michael Saylor had promptly denied any sales had occurred.