It finds that cryptocurrencies present a significant opportunity to overcome longstanding derisking challenges by supporting faster cross-border transfers, lower transaction costs, and improved transparency and traceability.
It draws on interviews with non-governmental organisations, FinTech providers, international organisations, banks, money service providers, donor governments and case studies from Afghanistan, Myanmar and Venezuela.
The paper offers a practical resource for both the humanitarian community and donors by providing a basic introduction to digital asset technologies, the existing tools and solutions, and when to use them. It identifies the most appropriate technologies for humanitarian organisations, outlining the key risks and compliance considerations.
A detailed operational guide supports humanitarian practitioners looking to implement stablecoins and digital wallets at the HQ, country and field/programme level.
