Human Rights Foundation Funds 16 Bitcoin Projects with $396,854 in Grants
HRF Awards $396,854 to 16 Bitcoin Projects
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) has announced new grants totaling 500 million satoshis—worth about $396,854—to support 16 projects in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The funding comes from HRF’s Bitcoin Development Fund and aims to improve Bitcoin’s technology, accessibility, and use for financial freedom.
This is the second round of grants in 2026. In April, HRF funded 26 projects. The latest grants focus on tools for secure payments, messaging, and wallet security, especially in regions with financial restrictions or internet censorship.
Key Details of the Grants
- Total funding: 500 million satoshis ($396,854).
- 16 projects supported across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
- Focus areas: Bitcoin payments, development tools, and secure messaging.
- Projects include mobile money bridges, offline Bitcoin wallets, and privacy tools.
Projects Improving Bitcoin Payments
Three projects aim to make Bitcoin payments easier in regions with limited banking access:
- BitSpenda: A mobile app that lets users in Nigeria, Kenya, Cameroon, Uganda, and Ghana send Bitcoin from a Lightning wallet directly to mobile money accounts, converting it to local currency. The grant will help expand this tool for faster, cheaper cross-border payments.
- Project Island Resilience: Builds on the Flash wallet, created by Jamaican developer Dread. After Hurricane Melissa in 2025, the app distributed over $10,000 in Bitcoin within 72 hours. The project will add offline payments using Bluetooth, NFC, and ecash to keep Bitcoin working during internet shutdowns or protests.
- Bitzed: A platform in Zambia that connects mobile money networks directly to Bitcoin. Users can buy Bitcoin with mobile money and receive it in their own Lightning wallet, avoiding banks or centralized exchanges. The grant will help expand this service for Zambians without traditional banking access.
Tools for Bitcoin Developers
Four projects focus on improving Bitcoin’s technology and security:
- Libbitcoinkernel: A software project that turns Bitcoin’s core security rules into reusable modules. This helps developers build more secure wallets and services without rewriting Bitcoin’s code from scratch. The grant supports developer yuvicc’s work.
- A Node in Every Wallet: Utreexo Wallet Integrations: Most Bitcoin wallets rely on centralized servers, which can compromise privacy. Floresta is a lightweight Bitcoin node that can be embedded directly into wallet apps, reducing storage needs and allowing wallets to verify transactions locally. The grant supports developer Luis Schwab’s work.
- BDK-Dart: A toolkit for building secure, self-custodial Bitcoin wallets using Flutter, a popular app development framework. The grant will help developer John Osezele release a major update and a reference wallet, making it easier to build cross-platform Bitcoin apps.
- WalletScrutiny: A project that audits Bitcoin wallets to verify they match their open-source code. The grant will expand reviews of wallet dependencies and third-party frameworks, helping users choose trustworthy apps, especially in authoritarian regions.
Secure Messaging on Nostr
Two projects focus on privacy and censorship-resistant communication:
- Vector Privacy: An open-source messenger built on Nostr, a decentralized communications protocol. It avoids account creation and metadata trails, offering end-to-end encryption. The grant will help launch Vector on iOS and desktop, add encrypted voice and video calls, and provide a stable tool for journalists and activists.
- Flotilla Chat: A decentralized messaging platform for civil society groups. Unlike centralized platforms, it resists censorship and network shutdowns. The grant will support its development, though details are limited in the source.
What the Grants Confirm
- HRF has awarded 500 million satoshis ($396,854) to 16 projects.
- The projects are based in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
- The funding comes from HRF’s Bitcoin Development Fund.
- This is the second round of grants in 2026, following 26 projects funded in April.
- The projects focus on Bitcoin payments, development tools, and secure messaging.
Why This Funding Matters
The grants support Bitcoin’s role as a tool for financial freedom, especially in regions with limited banking access or government restrictions. Projects like BitSpenda, Bitzed, and Project Island Resilience make Bitcoin more accessible for everyday use, while tools like Libbitcoinkernel and WalletScrutiny improve security and transparency. Secure messaging projects like Vector Privacy help activists and journalists communicate safely in high-risk environments.
