UNHCR treasurer Carmen Hurt discusses the organization's blockchain initiative on Stellar to deliver cash assistance to 100 million displaced people globally. The project uses USDC, Circle, MoneyGram, and the Stellar Disbursement Platform to provide refugees with financial autonomy and transparency.
Carmen Hurt, UNHCR treasurer, describes how the organization is leveraging blockchain technology on Stellar to revolutionize humanitarian cash assistance. After six months of collaboration with Stellar, UNHCR has built a financial gateway using USDC stablecoins via Circle, integrated with the Stellar Disbursement Platform hosted by UNICEF, and connected to MoneyGram for last-mile cash-out options. The system enables 100 million displaced people to receive portable digital funds they can convert to local currency or transfer internationally. Beyond refugee assistance, use cases include staff payroll, reintegration support for refugees relocating to new countries, and participation in local economies. The initiative addresses scale challenges, with UNHCR managing $6 billion in annual cash flows, and emphasizes real-time transparency for donors while giving beneficiaries decision-making power over their funds.