The International Rescue Committee and Stellar Development Foundation launched Stellar Aid Assist, a blockchain-powered cash disbursement system using USDC stablecoins to deliver humanitarian aid to people in Ukraine. The pilot enables faster, cheaper, and more transparent aid distribution through digital wallets.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) announced a pilot of Stellar Aid Assist, a blockchain-based cash assistance system delivering USDC stablecoins via the Stellar network to people affected by the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. The system uses Vesseo digital wallets and MoneyGram's 400,000+ agent locations to enable recipients without bank accounts to receive, hold, and convert digital dollars to local currency. The pilot has distributed USDC to 33 people so far with a goal of reaching 100 across southeastern Ukraine. This implementation demonstrates how stablecoins and blockchain technology can enhance the speed, efficiency, and transparency of traditional humanitarian cash assistance while providing donors with on-chain traceability of funds.
