Trump Administration Eyes Blockchain for Foreign Aid in USAID Overhaul: Report
The plan aims to integrate blockchain technology into the procurement system to enhance security, transparency, and traceability of aid distributions.
The Trump administration is preparing to restructure the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and integrate blockchain technology into its procurement system, Wired reported, citing a memo circulating among State Department staff.
The plan proposes rebranding the agency as U.S. International Humanitarian Assistance and moving it directly under the authority of the Secretary of State, Wired said. It would leverage a blockchain to trace aid distributions and enforce payment models based on outcomes rather than inputs.
“All distributions would also be secured and traced via blockchain technology to radically increase security, transparency, and traceability,” the memo reportedly reads, adding that such an approach would encourage innovation and efficiency.
It’s unclear whether the blockchain would involve cryptocurrency or stablecoin usage, or simply act as a digital ledger.
USAID has been under scrutiny from the Trump administration since the establishment of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk. DOGE has in the past proposed the use of blockchain technology to boost efficiency. The president froze USAID payments in a Jan. 20 executive order.
