Cryptocurrency might be all about gains, charts, and the latest tokens, but did you know that you can use crypto as a force for good? That’s right; charities worldwide have woken up to the world of crypto, with many of the world’s largest charitable organizations now accepting donations of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other altcoins.
So, if you’ve got a stack of crypto burning a hole in your cold storage or are just feeling benevolence towards your fellow citizens, here is a list of seven charities that accept cryptocurrency payments.
In 2019, UNICEF became the first UN organization to receive, hold, and redistribute cryptocurrency.
Since then, the UNICEF CryptoFund has received eight Bitcoin and a whopping 2527 Ethereum, making investments in startups in developing and emerging countries. For example, the UNICEF CryptoFund invested 25 ETH in an emergency response platform in Kenya, nearly 20 ETH in an AI and blockchain-powered startup in Argentina, and nearly 12 ETH in digital financial services for refugees in Rwanda.
The Electronic Freedom Foundation (EFF) is an international digital rights non-profit that promotes online privacy and civil liberties, provides funding for legal matters, and organizes political action against technology and legislation that will infringe on personal liberties, both online and off.
The EFF have a long and well-known history of protecting and ensuring rights and freedoms are respected worldwide and its likely you’ve benefited from their work indirectly.
You can donate to the EFF with Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, and Ethereum, and depending on how much you donate, you can opt to receive some EFF-swag in return.
Deforestation is just one of the issues facing the planet. Protecting our existing rainforests and other established forests is vital as the world faces increasing atmospheric turbulence as the planet’s climate changes. At the time of writing, the Rainforest Foundation has raised more than half a million dollars worth of donations in crypto, while the organization can protect more than 2.5 square miles of rainforest with a donation of 1ETH.
Making donating that bit easier, the Rainforest Foundation accepts crypto donations in Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, Solana, and USD Coin.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is really only a UK-based charity. Still, their work is incredibly important, protecting the UK’s coastline, citizens, and sailors and training thousands of volunteers nationally and internationally.
The RNLI has saved more than 140,000 people since its inception, and around a third of its working budget comes from donations. In 2014, the RNLI took the decision to accept Bitcoin donations to keep the service going, receiving over 20 BTC since that time.
The Giving Block is one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency donation services, working with hundreds of non-profits to help them accept crypto donations, as well as accepting donations for distribution. As such, it offers you plenty of options on how your crypto will help, allowing you to choose from donating crypto to one of their funds, to specific cause areas (think, disasters, poverty, environment), or to donate to a cause direct using their search tool.
Another benefit of donating crypto via The Giving Block is the massive variety of crypto they accept. In all, there are more than 45 different cryptocurrency donation options, covering the big hitters like Bitcoin and Ethereum, down to lesser-known altcoins like MASK or GRT. In short, The Giving Block is a great option if you’re looking to donate some crypto.
You likely know about Tor from tales of the dark web, hackers, and other illicit activities. However, did you know that the Tor Project and its Tor Browser are vital for millions around the world? The Tor Browser allows users to access uncensored internet from places where censorship and civil restrictions are rife, providing a bastion of hope for those fighting to regain or find a sense of online privacy.
The Tor Project is a non-profit organization that helps to deliver education on online privacy worldwide, while assisting with the maintenance of the Tor network, the global network of Tor nodes that keeps the network running and, most importantly, anonymous (not to mention the development of the Tor Browser).
You can donate to the Tor Project using Bitcoin, Ethereum, Augur, Dash, Litecoin, Monero, Stellar Lumen, and ZCash.
One of the world’s best-known and most reputable charities, Save the Children, also accepts cryptocurrency donations. In fact, Save the Children works with The Giving Bag, so it accepts the comprehensive list of cryptocurrencies you can see in the above sections, making it simple to donate a few extra crypto-bucks to help safeguard children worldwide.
Save the Children’s work almost goes without saying. The charity champions children and other young people around the world, helping to improve their living conditions, education, healthcare, and more, while also protecting them from dangers such as child trafficking, exploitation, early marriage, and more.
Donate Crypto to Charity Directly and Anonymously
We cannot and will advise on cryptocurrency investments at MUO. That’s not our business.
However, if you are considering making a cryptocurrency donation to one of the charities on this list (or any other that accepts crypto), we’d advise you to donate directly, rather than liquidizing your assets then donating. It’s better for all involved and will help your crypto donation help that bit more. You could also consider donating a cryptocurrency stablecoin (where available), as the price of a stablecoin is less volatile than other cryptocurrencies.
Furthermore, donating cryptocurrency direct to a charity comes with another added bonus: anonymity. You can make an almost anonymous donation using Bitcoin (Bitcoin is pseudo-anonymous, not completely obscured), and if the charity accepts a privacy-focused crypto like Monero, you’ll be completely private.
Don’t Miss #CryptoGivingTuesday
Each year, The Giving Block runs a campaign to raise money using the #CryptoGivingTuesday hashtag. The idea is to unite as many cryptocurrency donations as possible and raise awareness about the good crypto donations can do. In 2021, supporters raised more than $2.1 million in crypto.
If you have some spare cryptocurrency, earned a heap through stake rewards, or are just feeling generous, donating crypto is a great way to help out. Remember, donating makes a massive difference, even if you think “its not enough.” It’ll still go to good use!
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