Today, more than $38 billion in humanitarian aid moves through the traditional banking system, often taking days to cross borders and incurring fees along the way.
But on Wednesday, the Circle Foundation announced it is expanding a blockchain-based financial platform to 15 agencies across the United Nations — a venture that could completely reshape how aid reaches people in need.
“The reality is that movement of value is happening on legacy rails,” said Elisabeth Carpenter, the chief strategic engagement officer at the financial technology company Circle, which created the Circle Foundation in 2025. “And for anyone here who has ever tried to make cross-border payments, for example, it is fraught with friction.”
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About the author
Elissa Miolene
Elissa Miolene reports on USAID and the U.S. government at Devex. She previously covered education at The San Jose Mercury News, and has written for outlets like The Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Washingtonian magazine, among others. Before shifting to journalism, Elissa led communications for humanitarian agencies in the United States, East Africa, and South Asia.
