1 Billion Satoshis for Freedom - HRF Supports Bitcoin Projects in Vulnerable Regions

On April 1, 2025, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) announced a donation of 1 billion satoshis, equivalent to 10 BTC, to over 20 Bitcoin-related projects worldwide.

This initiative is part of HRF’s Bitcoin Development Fund, with a clear mission: to promote open-source development, decentralized infrastructure, privacy services, and education, especially for people living under authoritarian regimes in Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

For these individuals, Bitcoin isn’t about speculation. It’s about survival, access to information, and economic freedom.

Some of the supported projects include:

• NetBlocks – Monitors internet outages in real-time, often linked to government censorship and protests. Their work exposes when regimes attempt to silence their people.

• TollGate – Transforms ordinary WiFi routers into decentralized networks using Bitcoin and e-cash, helping people bypass state-controlled internet access.

• Vinteum – A non-profit R&D center in Latin America that educates and funds Bitcoin developers in regions where technical skills are needed most but resources are scarce.

• BTCPay Server – A tool that enables Bitcoin payments without intermediaries, which is crucial in countries where government controls hinder or block financial transactions.

Bitcoin – More Than Just an Investment Asset

Through this initiative, HRF continues to highlight what Bitcoin truly represents: a tool for human rights. In countries where banks are unreliable, governments censor money, and people lack basic financial freedom — Bitcoin plays a critical role.

It’s easy to forget this in countries like Sweden, where money appears to "work." But for millions around the world, access to a free and neutral monetary system is nothing less than a lifeline.

Learn more about HRF’s work here!