The World Food Program USA is now accepting donations in more than 80 cryptocurrencies. That includes the likes of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDC, but also allows for donations in ApeCoin, BONK, and Dogecoin.
The partnership is part of WFP USA’s wider ambitions to raise $25 million through the Emergency Hunger Relief Fund—and plug gaps in initiatives “that provide lifelong assistance to 58 million people on the brink of starvation.”
This nonprofit was established in 1995—and while it has close ties to the UN Food Programme, it serves as a separate entity.
The push for new donations comes after the Trump administration ended funding for urgent UN food aid initiatives in 14 impoverished countries—including Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen.
Officials from the WFP have urged the White House to reconsider, warning it “could amount to a death sentence for millions of people.”
WFP USA’s chief philanthropy and partnerships officer Dorota Amin says the nonprofit is seeking to modernize, adding: “Traditional aid systems are under immense pressure. Embracing new technologies like blockchain and cryptocurrency isn’t just a choice—it’s necessary.”
She says shrinking global humanitarian budgets have come at a time when hunger crises are deepening—and by accepting crypto donations, the organization is “tapping into a growing community of mission-driven individuals eager to create change.”
The WFP USA added that there are benefits for crypto donors, too.
Lower transaction fees mean a greater proportion of a contribution goes toward aid, with the speed of blockchain networks enabling funds to be processed in minutes rather than days. Donations are also tax deductible, the WFP noted, enabling investors to offset capital gains.
The wider UN World Food Programme has long embraced blockchain through its Building Blocks initiative, which delivers aid directly to refugees through digital wallets. Officials say this reduces transaction costs by up to 98%, reduces fraud, and eliminates the need for local banks.
On Wednesday, the White House said that it planned to reinstate some UN World Food Programme funding, as reported by Reuters, but that it wants the organization to modify some of its programs in certain countries.
Edited by Stacy Elliott.
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