The National Bitcoin Office of El Salvador announced Friday it has redistributed the country’s Bitcoin reserve — currently totaling 6,284 BTC — across 14 separate addresses in what it describes as a step toward stronger security and resilience against potential quantum computing threats.
Until recently, the entirety of El Salvador’s Bitcoin reserve was held in a single publicly visible wallet. On-chain data now show that the funds have been divided among 14 addresses, none holding more than 500 BTC.
“This action aligns with best practices in Bitcoin management and prepares for potential developments in quantum computing,” the office said in a statement. “Limiting funds in each address reduces exposure to quantum threats because an unused Bitcoin address with hashed public keys remains protected.”
The reserve is stewarded under the direction of President Nayib Bukele, whose administration has promoted a daily purchase strategy — buying one Bitcoin every day as part of a broader national accumulation policy. According to the office, the reserve is valued at more than $682 million at current market prices.
Quantum Computing and Bitcoin Security
Quantum computing has long been discussed as a theoretical risk to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, particularly due to its potential to compromise elliptic curve digital signature algorithm (ECDSA) keys that secure transactions. In practical terms, if a sufficiently advanced quantum computer were developed, it could expose private keys once a Bitcoin address has been used, potentially allowing unauthorized spending of funds.
However, industry analysts generally view such risks as distant. A research note published by Bernstein last year stated that “any practical quantum threat to Bitcoin seems to remain decades away,” echoing the prevailing view among cryptographers that today’s quantum machines are not close to the scale required to undermine Bitcoin’s cryptographic foundations.
By spreading its reserve across multiple unused addresses, El Salvador appears to be adopting a layered approach to mitigate even long-term risks.
According to the office, “once funds are spent from an address, its public keys are revealed and vulnerable.”
“By splitting funds into smaller amounts, the impact of a potential quantum attack is minimized,” reads the announcement.
Conflicting Signals on Bitcoin Purchases
While the National Bitcoin Office continues to promote its “one Bitcoin a day” strategy, questions remain over the accuracy of these claims. In July, a report to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) signed by El Salvador’s central bank president and finance minister stated that no Bitcoin purchases had been made by the public sector since February 2025. The suspension of purchases, according to the report, was tied to conditions under a loan agreement with the IMF.
Neither President Bukele nor the Bitcoin Office has directly addressed the discrepancy. Daily announcements of BTC buys continue to be published on the office’s X account, suggesting an ongoing divergence between public messaging and official financial disclosures.
El Salvador’s Bitcoin Experiment
El Salvador became the first country in the world to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender in September 2021, a move that sparked both international attention and domestic controversy. Bukele has consistently framed the policy as a long-term bet on Bitcoin’s value and as a tool to increase financial inclusion for the country’s largely unbanked population.
The government has since launched initiatives ranging from the “Bitcoin Bond” proposal, designed to raise funds backed by BTC, to infrastructure projects aimed at leveraging geothermal energy for Bitcoin mining. Progress on some of these initiatives has been slower than originally projected, but the accumulation of a national Bitcoin reserve remains central to Bukele’s vision.
Adopting Bitcoin 2025
El Salvador will again be in the spotlight later this year as it hosts the fifth edition of Adopting Bitcoin, the country’s flagship Bitcoin conference. Taking place on November 14–15, 2025, the event embraces the theme of the “Network Effect,” highlighting how each new user, project, and innovation strengthens Bitcoin’s global reach and resilience.
Attendees can apply promo code BitcoinEventsHQ to save 10% on tickets.
