When The Financial System Can't Reach People In Crisis, Bitcoin Can

Sami Jamal Al-Shannat raised more than £55,000 on GoFundMe to help his family escape the war in Gaza. Because GoFundMe does not pay out in Gaza, the money had to go through a nominated beneficiary in another country, and Sami says he has not received the full amount.

His experience shows how humanitarian fundraising can become dependent on banks, payment platforms and intermediaries when sanctions and anti-money laundering rules restrict where money can move. The article looks at how Bitcoin-based platforms including Geyser and Agora are approaching the same problem, while retaining checks around campaign verification and accountability. Contributors include Lyudmyla Kozlovska of the Open Dialogue Foundation and Femi Longe of the Human Rights Foundation.