ME News: On December 23 (UTC+8), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stated that negotiations with the government regarding the sale of the Chivo electronic wallet and the Bitcoin project are "progressing well" during the second review of the 40-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement for El Salvador. The IMF emphasized the need to enhance transparency and reduce risks in the public sector. The IMF pointed out that the country's GDP is expected to be around 4% this year, and fiscal consolidation is proceeding as planned, with the 2026 budget supporting a reduction in the deficit and an expansion of social security expenditures. The IMF requires the public sector to suspend voluntary increases in BTC holdings and gradually exit Chivo; an official report states that there have been no further increases, but the El Salvador Bitcoin Office and Stacy Herbert have repeatedly claimed to still be buying at a "daily rate of 1 coin", with holdings increased to 7509 BTC, indicating a contradiction between the two statements. (Source: ME)