UNDP and Stellar Development Foundation extend partnership to scale blockchain-based digital payments from pilot phase into operational UNDP capability through 2027. Five pilots across Haiti, Kenya, Syria, Guatemala, and The Gambia demonstrated cost reductions from 10% to 2% and 100% reliability in low-connectivity settings.
UNDP and the Stellar Development Foundation announced a partnership extension on July 6, deepening their work on blockchain-based digital payments. After 16 months of research across 17 countries and live pilots in five nations, the two organizations are moving from proving the technology to establishing the operational and governance infrastructure for UNDP country offices to use digital payments as routine programme delivery. Five pilots in Haiti, Kenya, Syria, Guatemala, and The Gambia produced concrete evidence of impact. In Aleppo, digital distribution of Cash for Work stipends reduced costs from 10% to 2%, with 100% payment success. A Haiti pilot maintained 100% delivery reliability even when cellular networks failed entirely. The governance phase, extending through 2027, will establish safeguards, move validated solutions into active use, and consolidate evidence for sustained integration within the development system.
