El Salvador Buys $50 Million in Gold While Maintaining Daily Bitcoin Purchases

TLDR

• El Salvador’s central bank purchased $50 million worth of gold on Thursday, adding 9,298 troy ounces to its reserves
• The country’s total gold holdings now stand at 67,403 ounces, valued at approximately $360 million
• El Salvador continued its daily bitcoin $BTC purchase, buying one bitcoin and bringing government holdings to 7,547 coins worth $635 million
• The September 2025 gold purchase generated around $13 million in profits for the central bank
• Central banks globally added 863 tonnes of gold in 2025, with Poland as the largest buyer

El Salvador’s Central Reserve Bank announced Thursday it purchased $50 million worth of gold, marking its second gold acquisition since 1990 and first purchase of 2026. The bank bought 9,298 troy ounces of the precious metal.

The purchase increases El Salvador’s total gold reserves to 67,403 troy ounces. At current market prices, these holdings are valued at approximately $360 million. The Central Reserve Bank stated the acquisition helps maintain a balanced composition of the country’s international reserves.

The country also continued its daily bitcoin purchasing program on Thursday. Data from Arkham shows El Salvador added one bitcoin to its reserves. This aligns with President Bukele’s ongoing commitment to buy one bitcoin per day.

El Salvador’s government bitcoin holdings now total 7,547 coins. These holdings are worth $635 million based on bitcoin’s current price of $84,000. The National Bitcoin Office tracks these government cryptocurrency reserves.

The Central Reserve Bank’s previous gold purchase occurred in September 2025. That transaction also involved $50 million worth of gold. The bank reported generating approximately $13 million in profits from the September acquisition.

Gold prices have risen substantially over the past year. The precious metal has jumped nearly 50% since September 2024, according to TradingView data. This price increase contributed to the profits from El Salvador’s earlier purchase.

Global Central Bank Gold Purchases

Central banks worldwide added 863 tonnes of gold to their reserves in 2025. The World Gold Council provided this data on global central bank purchasing activity. Buying activity strengthened during the fourth quarter despite record high prices.

Poland led all countries as the largest gold buyer for the second consecutive year. Kazakhstan ranked second in purchases, followed by Brazil, Turkey, and China. Selling activity among central banks remained limited throughout the year.

Market Performance

Both gold and bitcoin experienced selling pressure on Thursday. Gold prices dropped from above $5,500 per ounce to $5,100. Bitcoin fell from $88,000 to approximately $82,000 during the same period.

El Salvador became the first country to adopt bitcoin as legal tender in September 2021. The Central American nation has maintained its bitcoin accumulation strategy since that time. The government’s combined gold and bitcoin reserves now exceed $995 million in value.

The Central Reserve Bank emphasized that gold purchases help consolidate the country’s long-term assets. The bank views precious metal holdings as part of a prudent reserve strategy. This approach complements the government’s separate bitcoin acquisition program.

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