The International AIDS Society (IAS) partnered with Stellar Disbursement Platform and Decaf wallet to distribute $49,480 in USDC stablecoins to 248 scholarship recipients from over 50 countries at the 2025 IAS Conference in Kigali. This blockchain solution replaced inefficient cash envelopes and long queues with seamless, secure digital payments achieving 100% delivery success across 425 transactions. The initiative highlights Stellar's potential for modernizing global disbursements for NGOs.
At the IAS Conference 2025 in Kigali, Rwanda, the International AIDS Society revolutionized scholarship disbursements by adopting the Stellar Disbursement Platform (SDP) and Decaf wallet to send daily living allowances to 248 recipients from more than 50 countries. Previously reliant on withdrawing cash in Geneva, stuffing envelopes, and transporting them internationally, IAS faced security risks, logistical challenges, and hours-long queues for recipients. The new process involved one-time USDC onboarding, uploading a recipient spreadsheet to SDP, and enabling recipients to claim funds via email links into the Decaf app for flexible cashouts via MoneyGram or bank transfers. Results included 425 payments totaling $49,480 with 100% success, eliminating queues and earning positive feedback. IAS organizer Martina praised the ease and efficiency, noting it freed time for conference participation. This case study demonstrates Stellar's blockchain for scalable, borderless payments ideal for global NGOs.