Polygon is powering Nepal's flood relief campaign

Nepal Turns to Blockchain for Disaster Funding

The Government of Nepal has launched its first-ever blockchain-based donation campaign, using crypto infrastructure to channel international contributions into the Prime Minister's Disaster Relief Fund following severe flooding that struck the country in late August 2026. A flash flood came down the Bhote Koshi river on 26 August 2026, originating on the Tibet side of the border before crossing into Nepal and hitting Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and neighbouring districts. By September 2, more than 1,100 people had died. Nepal faces a $5 billion flood recovery bill after widespread damage to tourism and hydropower infrastructure.

The campaign marks a significant step for a government that has historically relied on conventional banking channels for foreign aid. Cash and supplies for relief are directed through the Prime Minister's Disaster Relief Fund, with the Ministry of Finance confirming the rule covers individuals, companies, donor agencies, and foreign organisations.

How Polygon's Open Money Stack Fits In

The relief drive leverages @0xPolygon's Open Money Stack (OMS) to accept contributions from donors worldwide using stablecoins and other digital assets across multiple networks. The Polygon Open Money Stack is an open, integrated, and programmable suite of services delivered through a single API, designed to move money anywhere instantly, accepting deposits, moving stablecoins, and off-ramping to bank accounts or cash.

Critically for a government fund denominated in Nepali Rupees, the infrastructure handles the full conversion flow automatically. The OMS receives stablecoin payments, auto-converts to fiat, and delivers the proceeds to the recipient's bank account, so the sender pays in stablecoins while the recipient settles in the currency they already use. This eliminates the multi-day settlement delays and high fees typically associated with international wire transfers and SWIFT-based remittances.

Polygon Chain, which underpins the OMS, has recorded $54 billion in stablecoin transfer volume, 159 million unique wallet addresses, and an average transaction cost of $0.002. The OMS also manages interoperability across hundreds of chains, with routing, bridging, and execution handled behind the scenes, meaning donors are not restricted to a single network or asset.

The move positions Nepal as an early-adopter government in using public blockchain rails for sovereign disaster fundraising, and offers a live test case for whether crypto payments infrastructure can genuinely accelerate humanitarian aid delivery at a national scale.

Sources:
Polygon: Open Money Stack Technical Preview (polygon.technology)
Could Crypto Support Nepal's $5 Billion Flood Recovery? (bitcoinethereumnews.com)
Nepal Government's One-Door Policy for Flood Relief (kathmandupost.com)