Circle Foundation Backs UNDP, WFP Stablecoin Aid Payments
Cointelegraph reported the development in a post on X. Circle Foundation announced the two initiatives on Sept. 25, saying they will examine how digital payments and financial infrastructure can help international organizations move resources more efficiently while improving financial resilience and inclusion.
UNDP to Establish Digital Asset Innovation Pool
Circle Foundation’s grant will allow UNDP to establish and operate a Digital Asset Innovation Pool focused on the responsible use of digital assets and regulated payment stablecoins in development programs.
The initiative builds on payment pilots conducted through UNDP’s Sustainable Development Goals Blockchain Accelerator. Those projects included digital Cash-for-Work payments in Aleppo, Syria, disbursements designed for low-connectivity conditions in Haiti, a remittance-linked community investment model in Guatemala, and mobile wallets connected to existing cash-agent networks in The Gambia.
The new mechanism is intended to help UNDP country offices move beyond individual pilots toward regular program delivery. It will provide implementation support, regulatory and operational guidance, beneficiary safeguards and tools to measure delivery time, cost and reach.
UNDP said the Digital Asset Innovation Pool is not designed to replace established banking channels. Instead, it will provide an additional option in locations where conventional payment systems create significant costs, delays or access barriers.
WFP to Test Stablecoin Payment Corridors
A separate Circle Foundation grant to World Food Program USA will support WFP and its Innovation Accelerator in developing infrastructure for regulated, stablecoin-enabled payments.
The funding will cover governance and risk frameworks, treasury and reconciliation systems, compliance tools, and integration with local fintech and mobile-money providers. It will also support independent research examining the cost, speed and operational feasibility of stablecoin-enabled payments.
Over the next three years, WFP plans to test two to three country corridors connecting its payment operations with local financial providers and markets. The trials are intended to generate evidence on efficiency, transparency and resilience for WFP and the wider humanitarian sector.
The approach builds on Circle Foundation’s earlier support for digital financial infrastructure across the United Nations system. In January 2026, the foundation announced funding for the UN’s Digital Hub of Treasury Solutions, or DHoTS, which was established to modernize financial infrastructure and streamline transfers across participating UN organizations.
Stablecoins Enter a Wider Humanitarian Finance Test
The latest initiatives place regulated stablecoins within controlled tests of humanitarian and development payment infrastructure rather than treating them as a wholesale replacement for traditional banking.
For UNDP, the focus is on expanding lessons from previous digital-payment pilots. For WFP, the next stage involves building the governance, compliance and operational systems needed to evaluate stablecoin payments across multiple country environments.
The WFP trials are scheduled to run across two to three country corridors over three years, providing a defined testing period for assessing whether the technology can improve the speed, cost and transparency of humanitarian payments.
writer: Ethan Collins
Crypto Journalist
Ethan Collins reports on developments across the cryptocurrency and blockchain sector. His work covers market movements, protocol updates, regulatory changes, and emerging trends in digital assets.
He focuses on presenting complex topics in a clear and accessible manner for a broad readership.
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