When Maria, a talented artisan in rural Peru, needed $500 to buy materials for her weaving business, traditional banks weren’t an option. She lived hours from the nearest city, had no formal credit history, and represented the “unbanked” population—over 1.4 billion adults worldwide who lack access to basic financial services. Today, thanks to blockchain-powered crowdfunding, Maria’s business is thriving, serving customers across three continents. This is the potential of blockchain to reach the unbanked in action, providing people with the means to grow their businesses, support their families, and foster economic independence.

In the heart of rural Tanzania, Sarah Makenzi’s dream of providing clean water to her village seemed impossibly out of reach. Traditional banks wouldn’t help, and government aid was scarce. But through the power of digital crowdfunding, Sarah’s community raised $12,000 from 230 global donors, enough to drill a well that now serves 1,500 people. This is just one example of how crowdfunding is revolutionizing charitable giving and community development in the world’s most remote regions.