**The Beginning of a Radical Experiment**

El Salvador has long been mired in economic difficulties—industry hollowing out, high crime rates, and weak financial infrastructure. Starting in 2021, the country's president made a bold decision: to give Bitcoin and the US dollar equal status, both being declared legal tender. This caused a global stir—some called it an innovative breakthrough, while others saw it as reckless gambling. What’s the truth? Let’s take a closer look.

**Idealism Meets Harsh Reality**

The original plan was enticing: achieve financial inclusion through Bitcoin, reduce remittance costs, and attract international capital. But in practice, many tough challenges emerged.

To promote adoption, the government launched an official wallet called Chivo, and offered users $30 in startup funds as an incentive. The problem was, since its launch in September 2021, the app has been plagued with issues—system crashes and frequent software errors. Even worse, security was virtually nonexistent, with大量用户信息被滥用来冒领补贴，甚至还有人莫名其妙地被盗走了钱包里的资产。

The wallet’s user agreement even includes a classic disclaimer: "We are not responsible for losses caused by system failures." This completely shattered public confidence. To this day, the only apparent use of the Chivo wallet is to receive government subsidies, and it has failed to integrate into the daily lives of ordinary people.

**Public Attitudes Are the True Mirror**

Data speaks volumes. Despite the government’s efforts to promote it, acceptance on the streets is pitifully low. User growth has long since plateaued, and active usage continues to decline.