May 10, 2022
By Murtuza Merchant
Central American nation El Salvador purchased 500 Bitcoin (BTC) for around $15.3 million today, even as the world’s largest cryptocurrency by market value plunged below the $31,000 level, the country’s Nayib Bukele has announced.
“El Salvador just bought the dip! 500 coins at an average USD price of $30,744,” Bukele announced on Twitter.
At the time of writing, BTC was trading at $30530, down 12%, according to data from CoinMarketCap.
With the country’s democratic assembly agreeing to create a $150m Bitcoin Trust, El Salvador now holds a total of 2,300 BTC, at a combined value of about $72.5m.
The country’s decision to purchase comes at a time when BTC has fallen to its lowest level since July 2021, as slumping equity markets continue to hurt cryptocurrencies, currently trading in line with riskier assets like tech stocks.
The cryptocurrency has lost more than half its value since it hit an all-time high of $69,000 in November last year.
Salvadorans, however, are against the adoption of BTC as a legal currency
While Bukele believes BTC can help revolutionize El Salvador, the majority of Salvadorans do not share his perspective, demonstrating against the adoption of BTC as legal tender.
Nearly 93% of Salvadorans including businessmen and international organizations were against BTC adoption, according to a poll conducted by the chamber of commerce.
About the author
Murtuza Merchant is a senior journalist and an avid follower of blockchain and cryptocurrencies.
