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The humanitarian sector is undergoing a major transformation. With increasing pressure to localise aid and reduce dependency on international NGOs, donors and policymakers are rethinking how to channel funds effectively.

SINGAPORE, Sept. 12, 2025 /CNW/ -- The Algorand Foundation announced a successful meeting of its Humanitarian Aid Payments Council, a group of leaders in blockchain, humanitarian organisations, and finance, dedicated to effective blockchain solutions in humanitarian aid. The Council met in Berlin to discuss how to scale humanitarian aid disbursement on blockchain. The council welcomed six new members: UNHCR , Mastercard , Paycode, Coala Pay , Meld, and Rahat. The Humanitaria

Every year on September 16 , the world observes International Identity Day . The date, 16.9, is symbolic: it reflects Sustainable Development Goal 16.9 , which calls for “ providing legal identity for all, including birth registration, by 2030.” International Identity Day exists to raise awareness of the importance of legal identity  as a foundation for exercising basic rights and accessing services. Without an official form of identification, individuals can face insurmounta

On 9 & 10 September 2025, Paycode was proud to join global leaders in Berlin for the second meeting of the Humanitarian Aid Payments Council , convened by the Algorand Foundation. The Council, founded in 2024, brings together humanitarian organisations, financial service providers, and technology innovators to tackle one of the world’s most pressing challenges: how to deliver humanitarian aid efficiently, transparently, and at scale, while staying connected to the realities

Showcasing Paycode's work in Afghanistan at the Financial Inclusion Forum 2025 On 9 - 10 September 2025, global leaders, policymakers, financial service providers and innovators gathered in Johannesburg for the Women’s World Banking Financial Inclusion Forum 2025 , under the theme Unlocking Growth Opportunities for All . This high-impact convening brought together voices from across the world to advance practical solutions for closing the gender gap in financial access . Des

Offline CDBC solutions are no longer theoretical. Paycode's successfully implemented offline CBDC solutions at two major West African Central Banks.

The Algorand Foundation  today announced a new strategic partnership with Paycode , a global leader in biometric and offline digital payment systems, to advance inclusive financial infrastructure across underserved and remote communities. Paycode operates in countries including Afghanistan, Ghana, Zambia, Mozambique, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where large segments of the population remain offline and excluded from formal financial services. Through this collaborati

Beneficiaries queue to receive assistance in Mozambique As humanitarian needs reach record highs and the aid system faces pressure to evolve, the Common Donor Approach to Humanitarian Cash Assistance 2025 provides a timely and much-needed framework for rethinking how we deliver assistance. At Paycode, we welcome this coordinated donor vision and fully support its call for more effective, efficient, and accountable cash assistance . We believe that digital cash , when deliver

How stablecoins are revolutionising humanitarian payments, discussing their unique benefits, use cases, and the challenges they must overcome to reach their full potential.

As traditional donor models shrink, the focus must shift towards ensuring that every dollar allocated for humanitarian aid reaches its intended recipient—transparently, efficiently, and without leakage.

The Sahel region stands at a crossroads of crisis and opportunity. With over 32 million people in need of humanitarian aid, and increasing restrictions on Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA), delivering timely and effective financial support has become more difficult than ever. A recent report by the CALP Network uncovers seven core drivers behind these restrictions – from security concerns and negative perceptions to political tensions and operational hurdles. But what if tech

Today, Paycode was proud to attend the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) Side Event, “Moving the needle: Advancing in financial inclusion, from access to usage,”  co-hosted with FinMark Trust under the South African G20 Presidency. The event brought together financial inclusion leaders from across the globe to explore the next frontier: shifting from simply providing access to ensuring real usage and impact, especially for underserved populations. The eve

Registering new users to Paycode's biometric identity and payments system In Afghanistan, access to financial services remains a challenge for many, especially those without traditional bank accounts. Recognising this need, Afghanistan International Bank (AIB), in partnership with Paycode Pty Ltd, has launched a groundbreaking initiative to digitise financial transactions for Donors, NGOs, and Corporates across the country. The Shift to Digital: Why It Matters While AIB’s Pay

We're excited to announce a new partnership with DRC-based technology solutions company, SG NewTech.

At today's Treasurer's Roundtable conference Ralph Pecker, Aisling Quirke and Tia Simmonds discussed Digital Payments in the Last Mile.

Paycode was featured in a recent Devex report "Reimagining aid in the digital age" produced in partnership with Visa.

The Paycode team is in Cape Town this week for the ID4A AGM and Conference 2024. The ID4Africa 2024 Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be...

In September 2008, the  Department of Social Services  in Botswana appointed Smartswitch Botswana (Pty) Ltd to distribute government grants electronically. The programme was aimed at digitizing the food grant process, moving from the delivery of monthly food baskets to receiving food coupons on a biometric smartcard which could be spent at selected food retailers. Food grant beneficiaries across Botswana were onboarded and issued their biometric smartcards between September 2

The Bank of Ghana selected Paycode’s EDAPT technology to provide a turnkey solution for a National Payment Switching & Settlement System for Ghana, enabling a common platform for all electronic payments as well as broadening the scope for  branchless banking  across the country. GhIPSS (Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement System), a subsidiary of the Bank of Ghana, was established to manage the  national switch  (e-zwich). The system ensures the delivery of services, finan

In 2005, SmartSwitch Namibia (Pty) Ltd was established to execute the Namibian government’s vision of providing affordable financial and banking services to their unbanked and underbanked citizens, with the aim of providing equal access to opportunities. Namibia Post Limited (NamPost), the first customer of the switch, positioned itself as the leading player in  financial services to the unbanked  citizens of Namibia, and secured significant market share as a result. Since la