Blockchain revolution comes to world of humanitarian aid

New York

BLOCKCHAIN, the technology behind the cryptocurrency bitcoin, is taking root in a sector far from finance: the world of humanitarian aid.

By offering refugees a virtual identity, reassuring donors that their money is being well spent, or rushing funds where they are needed most, aid charities are experimenting with the technology in the hopes that it can improve their work.

"We are at the very beginning. There is a lot of hype," said Christopher Fabian, leader of Unicef's Ventures Fund, which invests in open source technology solutions.

At the…