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 covers U.S. foreign assistance from Washington, D.C. She previously covered education at The San Jose Mercury News, and has written for The Wall Street Journal, the San Francisco Chronicle, and other news outlets across the world. Before shifting to journalism, Elissa led communications for aid agencies in the United States, East Africa, and South Asia.
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