El Salvador doubles down on Bitcoin and AI in 2026 as national strategy evolves beyond speculation

On 1 January 2026, El Salvador's National Bitcoin Office said the country was going "all-in" on Bitcoin and artificial intelligence, reinforcing a multi‑year strategy that began with BTC becoming legal tender in 2021. The government has treated its roughly 7,500 BTC position as long‑term reserve infrastructure, while a partnership with xAI to roll out Grok across 5,000 public schools links AI deployment with education and broader economic diversification.