Circle Foundation and United Nations Aid Agencies Partner to Transform Global Aid Delivery and Transparency

Circle Foundation’s first international grant will support digital financial infrastructure across UN Ecosystems and its stakeholders

• More than $38B in annual humanitarian funds rely on legacy systems that can be slow and inefficient; UNHCR’s blockchain‑based banking pilots demonstrate how next‑generation digital financial infrastructure—including regulated stablecoins—can deliver human-centered aid faster, with full traceability, stronger accountability, and with promising initial cost savings of up to 20% —maximizing impact for every donor dollar.

DAVOS, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Circle Foundation, a new philanthropic initiative supported by Circle Internet Group, Inc.’s (NYSE: CRCL) 1% equity commitment, today announced its first international grant to support the United Nations’ Digital Hub of Treasury Solutions (DHoTS) in its efforts to streamline monetary value transfers across the UN system, reduce costs, enhance transparency, and enable secure, real-time access to financial systems and markets worldwide. The announcement was made during a panel hosted by the World Economic Forum at its Annual Meeting in Davos.

Founded by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, DHoTS is a joint UN platform launched in 2021 to create an integrated Financial Gateway using next-generation banking and risk management technology to strengthen financial resilience across UN systems. Under UNHCR’s strategic leadership, DHoTS has now expanded to include 15 agencies – including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) – with technical support from the United Nations International Computing Centre. Circle Foundation’s grant to UNHCR in support of DHoTS builds on Circle’s 2022 collaboration with UNHCR when the agency pioneered USDC-based aid payouts for displaced Ukrainians, setting a new standard for digital financial infrastructure in humanitarian cash assistance.

“Modern humanitarian finance needs modern infrastructure. By helping DHoTS integrate digital financial infrastructure, including regulated stablecoins with embedded regulatory financial risk management, compliance, and integrated AI-enabled controls, we can help make aid faster, more transparent, and more accountable across the entire UN system. This is a systems-level upgrade that can unlock recurring savings year after year while strengthening trust and accountability in global aid,” said Elisabeth Carpenter, Chief Strategic Engagement Officer at Circle and Founding Chair of Circle Foundation.

“UNHCR has been an early adopter in blockchain-based assistance and a pioneer in delivering aid faster, more securely, at lower cost, and with greater accountability. The Digital Hub of Treasury Solutions, created in 2021 by UNHCR, is now scaling up with support from Circle Foundation to further benefit UN agencies and drive efficiency across the humanitarian sector. This is about using technology to uphold dignity and choice for people forced to flee, while maximizing impact for every dollar entrusted to us,” said Barham Salih, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

“In a world of tight budgets, we have to make every dollar work harder – for people today and for countries’ development tomorrow. Through the Digital Hub of Treasury Solutions, the partnership between UNDP, UNHCR, and Circle will help make digital payments more secure and efficient. By using regulated stablecoins for program payments and cross border transfers, we can reduce costs, improve transparency, and build more inclusive and trustworthy financial systems that protect people’s data, respect monetary sovereignty, and support long term resilience,” said Alexander De Croo, Administrator of the UN Development Programme.

Meeting an urgent UN system-wide challenge

The global humanitarian aid system moves $38 billion annually, yet still relies on legacy, time-intensive, traditional financial rails. UNHCR pilots since 2022 have demonstrated that digital financial infrastructure, including regulated stablecoins, can deliver assistance quickly, securely, and with increased traceability, resulting in significant program and delivery cost reduction.

What Circle Foundation’s support will help enable in DHoTS

• Near-instant cross-border transfers reducing costs and delays associated with traditional correspondent banking.
• Conversion into local currencies through integrations with banks, mobile-money operators, and fintech partners, expanding access in hard-to-reach markets.
• Greater transparency and accountability driven by streamlined and interoperable financial systems.
• Programmable disbursements that automate manual steps and ease operational and reporting burdens.
• System-wide impact by upgrading core shared infrastructure.

About Circle Foundation

In 2025, Circle Internet Group, Inc. (NYSE:CRCL) established the Circle Foundation, a donor-advised fund managed by Fidelity Charitable, to advance financial resilience and inclusion through strategic grantmaking and systems-level investments. Seeded by Circle’s Pledge 1% equity commitment, the Circle Foundation channels Circle’s financial resources, expertise, and partnerships toward creating lasting economic impact.