SAN SALVADOR — El Salvador will transfer “a big chunk” of its bitcoin assets to an offline device that will be stored in a physical vault within the Central American country’s territory, President Nayib Bukele said on Thursday.

“We’ve decided to transfer a big chunk of our Bitcoin to a cold wallet, and store that cold wallet in a physical vault within our national territory,” Bukele, who last month was re-elected to a second term as president, said in a post on X. “It’s not much, but it’s honest work.”

According to Bukele’s social media account on Thursday, El Salvador’s bitcoin portfolio is at close to $407 million.

The true size of the holdings remains unclear, but a recent rally in bitcoin values has reignited interest in the world’s largest, if volatile, cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin on Thursday hit a record high of $73,800.

In September 2021, El Salvador became the first country in the world to establish bitcoin as legal tender, earning it harsh criticism. One of the strongest critics was the International Monetary Fund, which has been negotiating a large loan with the cash-poor country.

Bukele has also sketched plans for a tax-free crypto haven powered by geothermal energy from a volcano. As he prepares to enter his second term as president, ground has yet to be broken on this so-called Bitcoin City.

Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You May Also Like

Amid focus of Cuba’s ties to China and Russia, residents bemoan hunger, scarcity

When Ariel Maceo Tellez walks the streets of Jaimanitas, west of Havana,…

Adani Companies Plan $2.6 Billion Stock Sale in Wake of Market Rout

Share Listen (2 min) This post first appeared on wsj.com

Extreme weather may delay reaching herd immunity, experts warn

The extreme winter weather covering much of the U.S. is causing enough…

In Brooklyn Center, ghost of racist past still haunts Minnesota’s most diverse city

BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. — The ghost of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, has come…