After agreeing to curtail its ambitious Bitcoin initiatives, El Salvador has reached a $1.4 billion loan arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The agreement, which needs the approval of the IMF Executive Board, aims to support El Salvador’s reform agenda, boost fiscal and external sustainability, and create conditions for stronger, inclusive growth. IMF Loan Agreement with El Salvador According to the official press release , the program is expected to catalyze additional financial support from the World Bank and regional development banks, bringing the total financing package to over $3.5 billion during the program period. As part of El Salvador’s $1.4 billion deal with the IMF, the government has agreed to scale back its ambitious Bitcoin policies to address financial stability concerns. Legal reforms will make Bitcoin usage optional for private businesses, removing the mandate that had been in place since the cryptocurrency was adopted as legal tender in 2021. Meanwhile, for the public sector, Bitcoin-related activities will be strictly limited, with the government no longer accepting BTC for tax payments. Additionally, the state-run Chivo wallet, which facilitated Bitcoin transactions for citizens, will see its government involvement gradually phased out. These measures are intended to mitigate risks associated with Bitcoin’s volatility and safeguard financial integrity, as per IMF’s statement. The program also includes improved transparency, regulation, and oversight of digital assets to protect consumers and investors while maintaining financial stability. By taking a step back from its cryptocurrency experiment, the Salvadoran government aims to rebuild confidence in its broader fiscal policies and align with IMF recommendations, a move expected to attract further international financial support and stabilize the economy. “IMF staff thank the Salvadorean authorities for the excellent collaboration and candid dialogue over the past months in the development of their economic reform program aimed at continuing to improve the prosperity of El Salvador and all of its people.” Criticisms President Nayib Bukele has staunchly advocated for Bitcoin as a key part of his administration’s economic strategy, investing heavily in the cryptocurrency to promote financial autonomy. Despite Bitcoin’s recent surge above $100,000, yielding a whopping 123.67% return on the government’s $269.7 million investment, the IMF’s conditions have compelled El Salvador to alter its BTC strategy. Critics argued that Bukele has now surrendered to the demands of global financial powers. As one financial analyst noted , Bukele’s decision to take a $3.5 billion loan from the IMF has led to accusations of selling out, calling it an ironic shift for someone who once criticized fiat currency. The post El Salvador’s $1.4 Billion IMF Deal Harms its Bitcoin Adoption appeared first on CryptoPotato .
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Bitcoin Price Decline Signals Key Technical Indicator Activation
Following the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) interest rate cut, Bitcoin (BTC) experienced a price decline that activated a critical indicator historically marking the end of price corrections. Fed’s Rate Cut and Expectations On Wednesday, the Fed reduced the benchmark borrowing cost as anticipated. Continue Reading: Bitcoin Price Decline Signals Key Technical Indicator Activation The post Bitcoin Price Decline Signals Key Technical Indicator Activation appeared first on COINTURK NEWS . Crypto Potato
Tornado Cash Co-Founder Fights Back: Will Roman Storm’s Charges Be Dropped?
The post Tornado Cash Co-Founder Fights Back: Will Roman Storm’s Charges Be Dropped? appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News Roman Storm, the co-founder of Tornado Cash, is pushing to have criminal charges against him dropped, following a major win in court. The Fifth Circuit Appeals Court recently ruled that the U.S. Treasury’s sanctions on Tornado Cash’s smart contracts were unlawful. This ruling could be a game-changer for Storm’s case, which involves serious charges, including money laundering. Moreover, the case went all in favor of Tornado Cash the sanctions helped the native token Torn jump 700% last month. The Court Ruled Out Sanction Clause In its ruling , the appeals court made a bold statement by declaring that Treasury’s sanctions on Tornado Cash’s smart contracts were unlawful. As per the ruling, Tornado Cash’s smart contracts are immutable, meaning they can’t be changed or stopped by anyone, not even the creators. The court also clarified that these contracts are not “property” under U.S. law, so they can’t be blocked or sanctioned by the government. With this key factor, Storm demanded that the court should also drop the severe charges of money laundering, especially the charges that he conspired to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which forced U.S. sanctions. Storm’s Argument: No Control, No Crime In the quest to fight back, Storm is using this ruling to argue that the charges against him are flawed. He insists that Tornado Cash isn’t a financial institution and that it became immutable back in May 2020—long before the alleged money-laundering accusations. Interestingly, he says there was no way he could have conspired to launder money using a protocol that couldn’t be controlled by anyone, including him. So in simple terms, there is no concrete evidence to prove that he did the money laundering using the platform. The case has drawn massive outrage and initially, the lawsuit was filed by the Tornado Cash users, backed by Coinbase, against the U.S. Treasury and its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Although the users initially lost the court case, the ruling was overturned in November 2023, giving Tornado Cash supporters a big win. The case is also a reflection of how the decentralized platforms are treated by US law agencies. The developer’s attempt to challenge the agencies will surely bring some immutable change for future cases. Past Crimes In a similar instance, in August 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice charged Tornado Cash co-founders Roman Storm and Roman Semenov with helping launder over $1 billion in crypto, including funds tied to the North Korean hacker group Lazarus. Semenov is still on the run. The third co-founder, Alexey Pertsev, was arrested in the Netherlands in 2022. Tornado Cash was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in 2022 for approving unverified transactions and allowing cybercriminals to steal over $7 billion since 2019. Crypto Potato