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Global fintechs and web3 giants unite to increase blockchain-based cash assistance for humanitarian crises

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Humanitarian Council members include the Algorand Foundation, Circle, Worldpay, Mercy Corps Ventures, HesabPay, the United Nations Development Programme, and others

BARCELONA, Spain, June 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today, in a move led by the Algorand Foundation, a coalition of fintech, web3, and humanitarian organizations announced the formation of a council seeking to increase access to blockchain-based cash assistance during humanitarian crises. The council’s objective – among other activities – is to advise UN agencies and NGOs on using blockchain technology for aid payments, and to develop a roadmap for the successful piloting of blockchain-based cash programs in distressed areas.

Over the past decade, the United Nations and NGOs have begun to offer more cash-based assistance (vs. in-kind or service assistance). According to the CALP Network, a thought leader in humanitarian cash and voucher assistance, this form of assistance now comprises 21% of all international humanitarian aid, reaching $10 billion in 2022, and there is potential for that proportion to be much higher (source). Humanitarian organizations are working to deliver this kind of aid as rapidly and economically as possible whilst navigating ever more complex financial regulations. Given this, the projects under the purview of this council will explore the potential benefits and opportunities of blockchain-based payment solutions in addressing these particular constraints.

The aim in using blockchain is to first offset the lack of financial and technological infrastructure in aid locations such as Afghanistan and others. In these regions, applying blockchain technology could bring more efficiency and ease to the delivery of cash-based aid, making it possible to respond on an even larger scale.

Scaling cash-based aid also requires transparency. Cash aid programs need to be traceable and auditable without infringing on the rights of its beneficiaries. By using blockchain, organizations can maintain an immutable, unchangeable record of how cash was distributed, without disclosing how it is used by the recipient. This model protects the privacy of those in crisis while maintaining the traceability and verification that aid programs, donors, and governments need.

Built on Algorand, global payment app HesabPay is already proving the effectiveness of merging blockchain and aid delivery. It facilitates the world’s largest humanitarian project ever to be run on a public blockchain, bringing support to more than 14,000 families in Afghanistan in collaboration with United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and supported by the WFP Innovation Accelerator.

Bernhard Kowatsch, head of the WFP Innovation Accelerator, added, “The success of HesabPay in Afghanistan highlights the significant impact and scalability of this technology. We are eager to extend these innovations globally to revolutionize aid delivery.”

“Direct cash-based humanitarian assistance has been growing rapidly and is the future thanks to the extraordinary benefits cash provides for recipients. To be effective, humanitarian payments must meet several requirements: instant settlement, easily scalable to thousands if not millions of recipients,  and transparent and traceable,” said Matt Keller, director of impact at the Algorand Foundation. “Blockchain checks all of these boxes, and one reason we invested in HesabPay, which delivers humanitarian aid payments in Afghanistan without sacrificing time or accountability.”

“At Circle Impact, our mission since 2021 has been to empower underserved communities and reach people who have traditionally been excluded from financial systems. We are excited to be part of the Humanitarian Council, where we can cultivate a new generation of financial inclusion aimed at powering humanitarian aid and disaster relief,” said Mercina Tillemann-Perez, Vice President of Circle Impact.

“Launching 16 crypto pilots in 10+ countries over the past 4 years, Mercy Corps Ventures has been actively deploying first-of-a-kind real world use cases in the humanitarian and development context leveraging blockchain technology. We’re now building out a Humanitarian Venture Lab with a pipeline of humanitarian pilots, use cases, and insights that show where the challenges Algorand Foundation is addressing are playing out – and getting solved – in real time,” said Sandra Uwantege Hart, Humanitarian Venture Lab lead at Mercy Corps Ventures.

“Humanitarian crises demand faster, more transparent aid solutions. Blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize aid delivery through unparalleled traceability. If this initiative can match the speed and efficiency of the 40 billion+ transactions Worldpay processes annually, there is an opportunity to provide life-saving support to the millions facing humanitarian crises, ensuring funds reach those in need without delay,” said Ahmed Zifzaf, head of crypto/web3 partnerships for Worldpay.

“In UNDP, we are exploring with Algorand how digital payments can bring transparency while making payments with more speed and trust to support the lives in countries without a strong banking ecosystem. Special attention is being paid to supporting the work of civil society organizations, such as through our Tadamon network of 4000 CSOs,” said Robert Pasicko, Innovation Team Leader a.i. at UNDP.

Serving council members currently include:

Sandra Uwantege Hart, Humanitarian Venture Lab Lead at Mercy Corps VenturesMercina Tillemann Perez, Vice President, Circle Impact at CirclePaula Gil Baizan, PoliSync Centre for International Policy EngagementAhmed Zifzaf, Head of Crypto/Web3 Partnerships at WorldpayHasan Fallaha, Livelihoods and Economic Recovery programme Analyst at UNDP SyriaAli Theyab Al-Zuhairi, Economic Reform (FFER-FED) Project Coordinator at the UNDP Iraq Country OfficeRobert Pasicko, Innovation Team Leader a.i., United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)Henri de Jong, Chief Business Development Officer at QuantozRory Crew, Technical Advisor on Data & Digitalization at the CALP NetworkNigel Pont, Senior Advisor at HesabPaySuzana Moreno, Blockchain Technology Strategy and Portfolio Project Manager at WFP Innovation AcceleratorKelly Stablein, Independent Humanitarian Consultant

About Algorand Foundation
Algorand’s mission is to power a world where information has integrity and innovative ideas can scale. The Algorand Foundation supports Algorand’s rapidly growing ecosystem by providing a best-in-class developer environment, supporting key infrastructure and setting technical standards, offering comprehensive support to builders and entrepreneurs, and providing the infrastructure for decentralized governance.

Founded by Turing Award-winning cryptographer Silvio Micali in 2019, Algorand has grown into a vibrant ecosystem of developers, entrepreneurs, and enterprise partners that benefit from institutional-grade certainty and resilience, while features like low fees, instant finality, and a minimal carbon footprint also appeal to the protocol’s millions of retail users. Builders of all kinds can use common programming languages like Python to develop advanced apps and protocols that solve important problems at a global scale: instant payments in war and disaster zones, self-sovereign identity for the disenfranchised, supply-chain traceability for global commerce, permissionless protocols addressing financial inclusion, and the creation of entirely new markets through tokenization, to name a few. To learn more and start your journey on Algorand, visit algorand.foundation.

About Circle
Circle is a global financial technology firm that enables businesses of all sizes to harness the power of digital currencies and public blockchains for payments, commerce and financial applications worldwide. Circle is the issuer of USDC and EURC – highly liquid, interoperable, and trusted money protocols on the internet. Circle’s open and programmable platform and APIs make it easy for organizations to run their internet-scale business, whether it is making international payments, building globally-accessible Web3 apps, or managing their internal treasury. Learn more at https://circle.com.

About HesabPay
HesabPay is a global payment app at the forefront of global financial inclusion, targeting the 2 billion unbanked individuals worldwide. With exponential growth, HesabPay now boasts over half a million users, facilitating $35 million in peer-to-peer (P2P) transfers monthly. The platform serves 250,000 households in managing their bill payments and supports over two dozen donors in distributing humanitarian cash assistance. HesabPay’s impact is evident in its expansive reach and the vital financial lifeline it provides. Discover the full extent of HesabPay’s services at hesab.com.  

About Mercy Corps Ventures
Mercy Corps Ventures invests in and catalyzes venture-led solutions to increase the resilience of underserved individuals and communities. Founded in 2015 as the impact investing arm of global development agency, Mercy Corps, we’ve supported 50 early-stage ventures to scale and raise over $465 million in follow-on capital. 44% of our portfolio has at least 1 female co-founder and centers around climate adaptation and resilience-building solutions in adaptive agriculture and food systems, inclusive fintech, and climate-smart technologies, so that those living in frontier markets can withstand disruption and plan for the future. Through capital and support, piloting new approaches, action-oriented insights, and rigorously managing impact, we catalyze the ecosystem toward smarter, more impactful investments. Learn more at www.mercycorpsventures.vc.

About Worldpay
Worldpay is a leading payments technology and solutions company with unique capabilities to power omni-commerce across the globe. Our processing solutions allow businesses of all sizes to take, make and manage payments in-person and online from anywhere in the world. Annually, we process over 40 billion transactions across 146 countries and 135 currencies. We help our customers become more efficient, more secure and more successful.

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SOURCE Algorand Foundation

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CHINAPLAS 2026 Media Day: Highlights from 8 Exhibitors

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SHANGHAI, April 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On April 19–20, 2026, the global plastics and rubber industry’s top echelon gathered in Shanghai for the CHINAPLAS Media Day, co-hosted by Adsale Exhibition Services and CommNow China. As the definitive curtain-raiser to the main exhibition, this event brought together senior executives from eight industry titans. More than just a press conference, the session acted as a strategic barometer, revealing the high-tech roadmaps, sustainability breakthroughs, and “China-focused” priorities set to reshape the manufacturing landscape.

Evonik opened with a bold vision, “Shaping an Infinite Future,” unveiling material solutions for next-generation industries like NEVs, the low-altitude economy, and green hydrogen.

Chambroad Group showcased a sophisticated portfolio tailored for the rigorous demands of low-altitude economy, NEVs, medical technology, and specialized aviation, emphasizing the power of collaborative innovation in high-growth sectors.

Sustainability was the core theme for BASF, which presented its “Carbon Exploration Journey.” By focusing on the full lifecycle of materials in the footwear and textile industries, BASF proved that performance and environmental stewardship are now twin engines of value-chain growth.

On the machinery front, ENGEL Group addressed production pain points through its dual-brand strategy (ENGEL and WINTEC). Their presentation tackled the primary pain points in modified plastics injection molding, offering integrated, intelligent solutions for sectors ranging from automotive & packaging to medical, LSR and micro-foaming. ENGEL emphasized how smart production can simultaneously drive down costs and carbon footprints.

Kingfa highlighted the intersection of materials and intelligence. Their display covered an expansive range of applications, including consumer electronics, smart home systems, NEVs, low-altitude applications, and the frontier of “embodied intelligence” (robotics). Leveraging its unique “global-local” supply framework, Kingfa continues to set the pace for high-quality growth in the modified plastics sector through deep technical expertise.

Syensqo introduced specialty polymers essential for the “twin transitions”—digital and green—targeting critical nodes in the supply chains of NEVs, green hydrogen, electronics, healthcare, and semiconductors.

ARBURG chose this stage for the Asia debut of its Allrounder Trend electric series, combining high-end German engineering with optimized ownership costs for the competitive electronics and NEV markets.

In a major bio-based breakthrough, CovationBio launched Xatryx®, a non-food-based bio-PTMEG. This “drop-in” replacement for fossil-based alternatives allows manufacturers to slash carbon footprints without any process adjustments, marking a milestone for the circular economy.

Media Contact:
Skyla Feng
skyla.feng@commnow.cn 
+86-13002176919

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/chinaplas-2026-media-day-highlights-from-8-exhibitors-302752674.html

SOURCE Adsale Exhibition Services and CommNow China

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Fintech solutions, gov’t collaboration help cushion impact of oil crisis to consumers, says Mynt CEO

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SINGAPORE, April 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As consumers in Southeast Asia face a “triple-hit” of rising fuel costs, inflation, and economic volatility, leaders from some of the region’s major financial and technology companies highlight fintech’s and government’s role to enable economic resilience in a region navigating global shocks.

Talking about the situation in the Philippines, Martha Sazon, President and CEO of Mynt, the parent company of the country’s biggest finance app GCash, shared how the platform has strengthened its role as a primary distribution channel for government relief—taking a page from its playbook on how it helped keep the local economy running and aid flowing when mobility was restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have been helping in the distribution of government aid, especially fuel subsidies to public transport drivers and to encourage more mobility,” Sazon said.

In partnership with transport officials from the government, GCash facilitates the digital disbursement fuel subsidies to thousands of drivers and operators.

This effort is complemented by direct consumer incentives, such as a 50% fare discount for passengers of Metro Manila main rail lines, who can also pay via the GCash app.

These interventions have kept mobility accessible and domestic consumption steady. She also pointed to the role of GCash in supporting overseas Filipino workers (OFW). Until April 30, 2026, the company is waiving inbound and outbound transaction fees for Filipinos in the Middle East.

Moreover, aside from keeping fair loans accessible, the platform is fostering long-term resilience through livelihood opportunities by promoting digital micro-business tools like GCash Pera Outlet, and gig and employment platform GJobs, which provide alternative income streams for both local residents and repatriated workers. GCash has also ramped up financial literacy efforts to give customers practical knowledge on how to save more—while offering affordable and accessible investment and saving options.

Sazon shared these at the recent CNBC CONVERGE LIVE 2026 event at the Jewel in Singapore, joining other regional leaders: Hans Patuwo of GoTo Group and Huynh Thanh Phong of FWD Group. Patuwo noted Indonesia’s resilience but warned that looming subsidy cuts could trigger inflation and strain household consumption. Phong highlighted the importance of trust, stressing that insurers must help customers avoid emotional decisions that could leave them vulnerable during crises.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/fintech-solutions-govt-collaboration-help-cushion-impact-of-oil-crisis-to-consumers-says-mynt-ceo-302752679.html

SOURCE GCash

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The Steadfastness of a 13-Year Veteran Exchange: Understanding the Risk Control Logic Behind HTX Earn

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PANAMA CITY, Fla., April 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — In today’s volatile and unpredictable crypto market, “where to trade” may no longer be the primary concern for investors. Instead, “where assets are truly safe” has become the ultimate deciding factor in capital allocation. According to DefiLlama data, HTX recorded over $54 million in net inflows in a single day at the end of March, ranking first among global exchanges in daily inflows. The market is making its choice with real capital: in a highly uncertain crypto cycle, funds are flowing back to platforms that are “safer, more transparent, and more sustainable.”

As various platforms compete for liquidity, how has HTX emerged as a “safe haven” for global investors? The answer may lie in its underlying security framework, which has been in operation for 13 years, and its unwavering pursuit of “zero risk incidents” for user assets.

From Yield to Trust: Reconstructing the Underlying Logic of Earn Products

From a user perspective, “Earn” is often understood as a low-risk financial management tool: deposit assets and obtain returns. However, from the platform’s perspective, this is essentially a complex exercise of capital management and risk control. The core of HTX Earn products is not a single revenue model, but a comprehensive, layered risk management system:

Simple Earn: Offers flexible and fixed products, supporting subscription and redemption at any time or over fixed terms. These products offer an APY of up to 300%, making them a popular choice for beginners and conservative investors. Among them, flagship stablecoin products offer Flexible Earn options for popular assets such as USDT, USDC, USDD, USDE, USD1, and U, with APYs of up to 15%, outpacing  those of industry peers. VIP Flexible products are tailored for HTX SVIP users at Prime Level 5 and above, offering APYs of up to 9%, reflecting the platform’s commitment to diverse user needs.Structured Products (Dual Investment/Shark Fin): These are yield enhancement tools specifically designed for advanced traders seeking to capitalize on market volatility. They are suitable for capturing gains during market fluctuations, with APYs reaching up to 380%.On-chain Earn: Staking and ETH 2.0 products are designed specifically for on-chain participants, covering a variety of mainstream digital assets with seamless operations and APYs of up to 15%.

The vision of HTX Earn is to “fuel the steady growth of every digital asset.”At present, HTX Earn covers 300+ assets and 390+ products, serving nearly 600,000 users. Its extensive product matrix meets the needs of users with different risk preferences, and the adoption rate  continues to grow. But the truly critical factor is not the scale, but rather—how this capital is managed safely.

Merkle Tree Proof of Reserves (PoR): Making Transparency the First Line of Defense for User Asset Security

A sense of security does not come from empty promises, but from the clear verifiability of every asset. HTX publishes regular public disclosures of its Merkle Tree–based Proof of Reserves (PoR), which have continued uninterrupted for 42 months to date.

The latest April Proof of Reserves report shows that HTX has maintained asset reserve ratios at or above 100% across all assets. Among them, the BTC reserve ratio is 101%, the ETH reserve ratio is 100%, and the TRX reserve ratio reaches 108%. This means every user asset deposited on the platform is backed by more than 100% in real reserves, eliminating any possibility of fund misappropriation.

Notably, a key highlight of this disclosure is the upgrade to the USDs display, offering a more “user-friendly” approach to asset presentation. By displaying all USD-pegged stablecoins (including USDT and USDC) in a unified view of USDs, HTX has further enhanced the clarity and readability of the asset structure. This persistent commitment to transparency is a core driver behind HTX attracting over $54 million in net inflows within 24 hours.

13 Years of Stable Operations: A Three-Layer Risk Control Framework

If the Merkle Tree Proof of Reserves (PoR) serves as the externally visible “ledger”, the risk control system embedded within HTX Earn functions as an “armored shield” safeguarding asset security.

Professional Risk Control and Asset Segregation: HTX Earn adopts an institutional-grade security architecture. Through asset segregation and an intelligent tiered risk control system, user assets are strictly segregated from platform operational funds.Ongoing Enhanced Security Infrastructure: Since November 2023, HTX has further strengthened its compliance and security standards, maintaining over 30 consecutive months of zero security incidents. Such long-term, high-intensity stable operations are regarded as an industry benchmark.Dual Drivers of Technology and Compliance: Relying on the platform’s advantage of 13 years of stable operation, HTX has built a comprehensive service system featuring a professional investment research team, 24/7 customer support, zero trading fees, and hourly interest calculation, delivering comprehensive protection for user asset security.

Conclusion: Security is Not a Cost, but a Growth Engine

The flow of capital is the most intuitive vote of market confidence. HTX’s top position in DefiLlama net inflows is driven not only by its diverse product offerings and competitive yields, but also by market recognition of its 13year track record in security.

At the current stage, competition among crypto platforms is returning to fundamentals: those that can manage risk more stably will be better positioned to attract long-term capital. With 13 years of operational experience, HTX has set out a clear path forward:

Making trust verifiable with Merkle Tree Proof of Reserves (PoR)Using product matrices to structure returns and risksTransforming security into brand equity via long-term track records

When “Earn” evolves from a product into an entry point for asset management, the risk control logic behind it truly becomes the platform’s deepest moat. In the marathon of crypto finance, running fast is certainly important, but running steadily is the only way to survive. HTX Earn will continue to strengthen its risk control framework through transparency, making security the strongest foundation for every investor.

About HTX

Founded in 2013, HTX (formerly Huobi) has evolved from a virtual asset exchange into a comprehensive ecosystem of blockchain businesses that span digital asset trading, financial derivatives, research, investments, incubation, and other businesses.

As a world-leading gateway to Web3, HTX harbors global capabilities that enable it to provide users with safe and reliable services. Adhering to the growth strategy of “Global Expansion, Thriving Ecosystem, Wealth Effect, Security & Compliance,” HTX is dedicated to providing quality services and values to virtual asset enthusiasts worldwide.

To learn more about HTX, please visit https://www.htx.com/ or HTX Square , and follow HTX on X, Telegram, and Discord.

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SOURCE HTX DAO

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