Introduction: HRF Bitcoin Development Fund's Latest Grant Round
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) has announced 1.5 billion satoshis in new grants through its Bitcoin Development Fund (BDF), supporting 26 projects worldwide that focus on Bitcoin infrastructure, privacy, education, and freedom technology. The fund specifically targets open-source developers, researchers, and educational initiatives operating under authoritarian regimes, aiming to strengthen financial privacy and censorship resistance. Supported projects span Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, reinforcing Bitcoin's role as a tool for financial freedom, enabling journalists, nonprofits, and activists to securely communicate, organize, and receive support.
Bitcoin Privacy Projects
Bitcoin Core P2P Privacy Enhancements
Bitcoin Core developer Naiyoma is developing improvements to make it harder to track nodes across multiple networks. The grant will enable full-time work on these enhancements, helping activists run Bitcoin infrastructure more safely in monitored environments.
JoinMarket-NG
CoinJoin improves privacy by combining multiple users' transactions. JoinMarket-NG is a new implementation using a peer-to-peer liquidity market. The grant supports development and security audits to fully launch this open-source tool.
Banxaas
A local platform in West Africa allowing instant exchange between CFA franc and bitcoin without accounts. The grant will finalize mobile app development and integrate more mobile money providers.
ChapSmart
A Bitcoin app for Tanzanians bridging Lightning Network to M-Pesa for instant remittances and payments. The grant supports development and education to help users transact freely under an increasingly authoritarian regime.
Minmo
An alternative to centralized exchanges connecting users with local agents for fiat-to-bitcoin exchange without sensitive data exposure. The grant supports operational growth and infrastructure for dissidents facing financial repression.
Tando
Kenyan payment app allowing users to pay merchants with bitcoin while merchants receive Kenyan shillings via M-PESA integration. The grant funds expansion into new countries.
Tapnob
Enables users in Africa to buy bitcoin via local bank transfers and convert only needed amounts to local currency. The grant supports expansion and educational resources.
Bitcoin Development Infrastructure Projects
rawBit
A free open-source visual editor for building and inspecting raw Bitcoin transactions. The grant funds new modules on Taproot and Lightning Network.
doblón8
Improves air-gapped signing in Sparrow Wallet by replacing outdated scanning software with faster code. The grant strengthens this feature for human rights defenders.
Bitcoin Community Building Projects
Bitcoin Benin
Building a Bitcoin Knowledge Hub in Benin with physical learning space. The grant supports infrastructure and the 2026 Bitcoin Mastermind conference, reaching 1,000+ participants.
Bitcoin for Good
Helps refugees and oppressed people use Bitcoin for remittances, savings, and donations. The grant funds outreach and documentation to replicate in new communities.
Bitcoin House Malaysia
Education hub in Kuala Lumpur offering hands-on learning about Bitcoin and open-source technologies. The grant supports operations and technical workshops.
Summer of Bitcoin
Global internship program for students living under dictatorships to contribute to Bitcoin development. The grant funds student stipends and mentor compensation.
Yes Bitcoin Haiti
Building a circular economy in Haiti to use Bitcoin without relying on local currency. The grant supports adoption and leadership development.
Freedom Tech Projects
The Activist Atlas
Interactive platform connecting activists year-round, introducing Bitcoin donations and Nostr for secure communication. The grant supports launch and network growth.
Krux
Open-source software turning common devices into secure Bitcoin signing devices, supporting offline signing in 10 languages. The grant supports refinement for use under authoritarian regimes.
LearnNostr
Beginner-focused educational platform for Nostr protocol. The grant supports development to help people under censorship communicate safely.
NetBlocks Internet Observatory
Real-time tracking and documentation of internet shutdowns and platform blocks. The grant sustains monitoring to expose digital repression.
Bitcoin Research & Education Projects
AmityAge
Launched Bitcoin Educators Academy to train locals in teaching financial sovereignty under repression. The grant funds five academies training 75 educators.
Base58
Research report analyzing how funding sources shape open-source contributions to Bitcoin. The grant funds personnel and equipment for a two-month study.
Bitcoin Policy Norway
Initiative to educate Norwegian policymakers on Bitcoin's human rights applications amid proposed mining ban. The grant supports operations, travel, and outreach.
BTC Shule
Eight-month accelerator in Burundi training developers to build open-source Bitcoin tools. The grant supports hackathon, stipends, and operational costs.
Daniel Batten
Data-driven research and training in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Egypt on Bitcoin's role for financial freedom. The grant funds research, production, and outreach.
DIYbitcoin
Multilingual visual DIY guides for building own hardware with open-source software. The grant funds workshops and educator training across Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
Economic Inclusion Group
Documents 100 cases of financial exclusion of dissidents worldwide. The grant supports researchers and operational costs to publish through articles, podcasts, and social media reaching over 3 million people.
SeedSigner User Guide
Creation of a step-by-step user guide for the open-source hardware wallet SeedSigner. The grant helps human rights defenders with limited resources securely store bitcoin.