Long delays in moving humanitarian funds are a major obstacle to swift aid delivery. Now, international nonprofit Save the Children is turning to cryptocurrency to speed up its response, announcing the launch of a new Bitcoin fund designed to hold crypto donations for up to four years.

The fund, developed in partnership with digital-asset firm Fortris, will allow the nonprofit to accept and hold donations in Bitcoin, stablecoins, and other digital assets. The organization stated the initiative aims to circumvent the traditional banking channels that frequently break down or become inaccessible during natural disasters and conflicts, a common cause of aid slowdowns.

According to Antonia Roupell, Save the Children’s innovation and partnerships lead, the decision to launch the Bitcoin fund was driven by a mix of long-term crypto engagement, donor feedback, and shifting funding realities.

“The timing for our Bitcoin Fund is based on three main factors: our track record pioneering crypto giving and our desire to deliver maximum impact for children; years of listening to the Bitcoin and crypto community, donors, and technical partners like Fortris; and the detrimental impacts of foreign aid cuts, a reminder that we need to diversify our dependence on government and institutional donors,” Roupell told Decrypt. “The time for disruptive innovation, transparency, and proof-of-work is now.”

While many nonprofits accepted Bitcoin, Roupell explained that few held the asset or used its underlying peer-to-peer technology in their operations, adding that donor requests for flexibility on when contributions were converted helped shape the fund to maximize impact.

Save the Children first accepted Bitcoin in 2013 and has used its “Hodl Hope” initiative to raise millions in digital assets for children affected by conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan. The new fund, the organization argues, offers essential financial agility when established aid pathways falter.

“Out-of-the-box solutions are essential to ensure we continue to be there for children when they need us most, especially when traditional foreign aid funding falters,” Janti Soeripto, president and CEO of Save the Children U.S., said in a statement. The innovation, she added, integrates the speed, cost-efficiency, and financial inclusion of blockchain tools to strengthen emergency and long-term programs globally.

While the fund aims to deploy Bitcoin in crisis areas, Roupell said Save the Children retains full control over the Bitcoin fund, with custody partner Fortris supporting secure custody and monitoring. She said decisions about whether Bitcoin is used directly or converted depends on the needs of specific humanitarian responses, including regulatory conditions, access to off-ramps, and digital financial literacy.

When asked about price swings and volatility, Roupell said it comes down to what Bitcoin donors want.

“We’ve found Bitcoin donors want us to hold their donations rather than auto-convert to fiat, and that’s what this fund offers,” she said. “These are donations that we would otherwise not be able to unlock.”

The move comes as cryptocurrency giving continues to expand. The crypto industry has a long history of donating to global causes, including during the Covid-19 pandemic and the massive influx of over $50 million in crypto donations to Ukraine following the 2022 Russian invasion.

According to The Giving Block’s 2025 annual report, over $1 billion worth of cryptocurrency was donated in 2024.

“Despite the current challenging market backdrop, we’ve been pleased to receive such a positive response,” Roupell said. “Our Bitcoin fund goes beyond Bitcoin’s price action and instead unlocks the potential of peer-to-peer decentralized technology in a tangible way. This really seems to be resonating with people.”

Editor’s note: This story was updated after publication with additional details.

Go to Source to See Full Article
Author: Jason Nelson