We recently convened the Humanitarian Payments Council for the third year – this time in Washington D.C.- gathering leaders from humanitarian organizations, governments, payment providers, financial institutions, and technology companies to continue an important conversation: how can stablecoins and other digital payment technologies help humanitarian aid reach people more efficiently, transparently, and securely?
This year's meeting was especially meaningful because it was held alongside the annual Treasurers Roundtable conference, bringing together the humanitarian payments community with NGO treasury leaders responsible for moving billions of dollars in aid around the world. Humanitarian Payments Council members participated in Treasurers Roundtable sessions focused on digital money and treasury operations, while Roundtable attendees joined the first day of the Council meeting to learn about real-world stablecoin deployments, operational lessons, and the technologies already being used in the field. The combined format created valuable opportunities to bridge the gap between innovation and implementation, connecting the people building new payment infrastructure with those responsible for putting it into practice.
Throughout the event it was clear that this conversation has matured significantly since our last gathering in Berlin in September 2025. Compared to where the sector was even ten months ago, there is greater comfort from all players in exploring stablecoins as one potential tool within the humanitarian payments toolkit. The focus is no longer on whether the technology is interesting, but on where it can solve real operational challenges, what evidence is needed to support broader adoption, and how do we scale what already exists?
Across every session at the multi-day meeting, speakers from organizations including Circle, Mercy Corps Ventures, World Vision International, the World Food Programme (WFP), Visa, Mastercard, and others, emphasized that success depends on speaking the language of humanitarian operations, rather than blockchain. Treasury teams, donors, and policymakers aren't looking for technical explanations of payment rails – they want to understand outcomes. Can funds move faster? Can costs be reduced? Are payments transparent and traceable? Will compliance requirements still be met? The consensus was that messaging should focus on practical value, not technology for technology's sake.
The discussions also highlighted where the biggest opportunities – and challenges – remain. Participants pointed to foreign exchange as one of the most promising areas for innovation, while acknowledging that the sector still lacks rigorous, end-to-end data comparing stablecoin-based payment rails with traditional systems. On- and off-ramp infrastructure also continues to be a significant operational bottleneck, particularly in the regions where humanitarian organizations operate most frequently.
Another recurring theme was the need to move beyond isolated pilot programs. Rather than launching disconnected experiments, participants called for greater coordination across donors and implementing organizations, stronger evidence sharing, and more investment in documenting real-world outcomes. Case studies, demonstrations, and practical implementation guidance were consistently identified as some of the most effective ways to build confidence among donors, regulators, and field teams alike.
The timing of this year's meeting was also marked by an important milestone from one of the Council's members. Ahead of the Washington gathering, UNHCR announced it had expanded its use of the Algorand-powered HesabPay platform to support more than 625,000 refugee returnees and 17,500 internally displaced people in Afghanistan, delivering more than $35 million in humanitarian assistance. It's exactly the kind of real-world deployment the Council exists to encourage: moving beyond pilots and demonstrating that digital payment infrastructure can operate reliably at meaningful scale.
Perhaps the most encouraging takeaway was the shared commitment to action. The council concluded by focusing not on abstract possibilities, but on concrete priorities for the next year: generating better evidence, improving coordination across the ecosystem, refining messaging for key stakeholders, and continuing to build trust through practical implementations.
With momentum continuing to grow across the aid sector, the Humanitarian Payments Council will continue to drive the movement toward stablecoin adoption in the world’s most distressed economies, advancing the vital causes of efficiency, transparency, and the dignity of every beneficiary that comes with agency.
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