In response to the war in Ukraine and the realities of disrupted banking access, UNHCR piloted a blockchain-enabled cash assistance program using the Stellar network. Through Stellar Aid Assist and partners including digital wallet and cash-out infrastructure, eligible recipients could receive aid as USDC (a USD-backed stablecoin) on their phones and convert it to cash when needed—improving speed, flexibility, and traceability.
📲 UNHCR piloted a blockchain-based cash program in Ukraine beginning in December 2022, delivering aid directly to recipients via a digital wallet.
đź’µ Aid was distributed as USDC on Stellar, enabling fast delivery, low fees, and improved traceability.
🏧 Recipients could cash out through MoneyGram locations, supporting access even without a bank account.
Humanitarian cash assistance is often the preferred form of support because it gives people the freedom and dignity to prioritize their own needs. But traditional cross-border cash delivery can be slow, expensive, and difficult to verify—especially during conflict when infrastructure is unstable and banking access is disrupted.
In Ukraine, these challenges became immediate. UNHCR needed a method to deliver assistance with speed and flexibility, while improving real-time visibility into disbursements and reducing reliance on fragile banking rails.
UNHCR collaborated with technology partners to pilot Stellar Aid Assist, leveraging Stellar’s blockchain infrastructure and stablecoins to deliver aid digitally.
How it worked (recipient experience):
Why stablecoins mattered:
To avoid crypto price volatility, the pilot used USDC, a USD-backed stablecoin, allowing recipients to receive value that behaves like dollars while still benefiting from blockchain rails.