Save the Children’s Bitcoin Fund Accelerates Crisis Payments

Save the Children Launches Bitcoin Fund as Aid Groups Look for Faster Crisis Payments

Save the Children has launched what it calls a first-of-its-kind Bitcoin Fund, aiming to speed up how cash assistance reaches families during emergencies and expand the organization’s use of crypto-native payment tools.

The new structure is designed to address a long-running challenge in humanitarian response: traditional foreign aid and banking rails can be slow or unreliable, particularly in crisis settings where local financial infrastructure is disrupted or access to banks is limited. By holding crypto assets in advance, the organization says it can unlock resources faster when emergencies strike.

Under the program, Save the Children will be able to hold Bitcoin donations securely for up to four years. The approach also gives donors flexibility around when donated Bitcoin is converted, while allowing the organization to retain crypto on its balance sheet for a defined period rather than immediately liquidating it.

Save the Children said the fund will also support pilot programs that test direct digital disbursement to communities. These experiments are expected to include transfers through Bitcoin, stablecoins, and digital wallets, with the goal of reducing intermediaries and cutting delays in delivering emergency cash support.

The initiative includes partnerships with crypto and fintech providers. Save the Children is working with Fortris for digital asset custody and with technology company Fedi Inc., which will support distribution of Bitcoin via a mobile app to selected communities. Save the Children noted it has worked in the region referenced since 2013.

Beyond speed, the organization framed the move as a way to improve operational oversight. By integrating Bitcoin and public blockchain technology, the fund is positioned to offer greater traceability over where donations go, alongside potential gains in cost-effectiveness and transparency compared with some existing aid delivery paths.

The rollout reflects a broader shift as established humanitarian actors increasingly test crypto-based tools in search of faster payments and improved financial inclusion in areas where conventional banking systems fall short.