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The growth of crypto philanthropy unlocks a new donor demographic for not for profits, but the sector needs to be less afraid of change, an industry expert says.

If you asked charities about their stance on cryptocurrency a de-centralised and non-government controlled unit of currency a few years ago, its likely you would have been met with hesitation, negativity or even outright dismissal.

Fast forward to today and crypto philanthropy is becoming mainstream. Not only are charities more frequently receiving crypto donations, the size of these donations are significantly larger than their cash counterparts.

US-based crypto fundraising platform The Giving Block helped facilitate more than US$69 million to not for profits around the world in 2021, an increase of more than 1,000 per cent from the year before. Meanwhile, the average value of crypto donations was 82 times larger than the average online cash donation, at US$10,455 compared to US$128, in the same time period.

Despite its popularity, many charities are still afraid to enter the crypto space, a decision that The Giving Blocks co-founder Alex Wilson believes shuts organisations off from a critical donor market, threatening their long-term success.

Not only are non-profits alienating an entire demographic of donors when they choose not to accept crypto, they are also closing themselves off to potential major donations, said Wilson.

Crypto donors are some of the most financially literate donors on the planet, and they understand the benefits of donating crypto directly. Most crypto donors are also young, high-net-worth individuals that many charities have had difficulties engaging.

Accepting crypto donations provides an opportunity to fundraise from this coveted donor demographic.

Tapping into this donor market is especially important in the coming years, given Australian philanthropy is set to experience its largest intergenerational wealth transfer of over $3 trillion across the next two decades.

Several high-profile charities have already started accepting crypto donations in all its forms, including the 30 Australian not for profits that partner with The Giving Block, such as UNICEF Australia, Habitat for Humanity and Rainforest Rescue.

See more: Cryptos the word lessons from one charitys journey into cyber donations

The topic of cryptocurrency more broadly is front of mind for the entire sector.

Earlier this year, the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) issued new guidance on crypto-assets, labelling them as a high-risk investment that are typically not appropriate for charities, and urging organisations to consider the risks involved in both investing in and accepting crypto.

Commissioner Sue Woodward said that in general, the risks connected with a charity investing in crypto-assets are greater and harder to manage than the risks connected with accepting donations of this kind.

It is critical that those who run charities develop their understanding or seek advice to ensure they are making the right decision for their charity, she said.

See more: Do you need a crypto policy for donations?

But while the ACNC is cautious, Wilson says the appetite for crypto in Australia echoes international trends and will only continue to grow.

Australian non-profits accepting crypto donations is quickly growing, Wilson continued.

Crypto is borderless, so it is one of the few ways that people can donate to their favourite causes regardless of where they are located. Were seeing the same giving trends in Australia as we see in the US and Europe.

The crypto community has grown year over year, and there is no reason to think that it wont continue to grow over the next decade.

See more: Cryptocurrency-funded groups called DAOs are becoming charities here are some issues to watch

While crypto is an emerging area that many in the sector believe is important to invest in, charities should view it as another tool to utilise in fundraising, not a silver bullet.

Wilson argues that one of the most effective ways to fundraise is by engaging with the crypto community through social media, as crypto donors are younger and more digitally-savvy than other donor bases.

He also suggests charities immediately convert crypto donations received into dollars, which removes the volatility associated with the crypto market.

As the co-founder of a crypto fundraising platform, Wilson is keen to encourage charities to be comfortable with not understanding everything about the industry.

One of the most frequent things we hear from new clients is that they tried to research the industry and immediately felt overwhelmed by all of the new terms, concludes Wilson.

You dont need to understand cryptocurrency in order to crypto fundraise, so try not to overwhelm yourself with the technical jargon.

However, the ACNC advises a more careful approach, suggesting that charities and their Responsible People ensure they understand how crypto-assets work, as well as their potential benefits and risks.

Charities wanting to learn more about crypto can read the ACNCs guidelines here.

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There's no need to fear, cryptocurrency is here - Pro Bono Australia

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Fidelity Investments has quietly opened access to bitcoin and ether trading to all of its retail traders, filling a void created by the closures in recent days of cryptocurrency-friendly banks that bridged the divide between digital and traditional finance.

The Fidelity Crypto platform, previously available only to institutions and some waitlisted customers, was made available earlier this month. Individual investors can now buy and sell bitcoin and ether and use custodial and trading services provided by Fidelity Digital Assets.

Clients are not yet able to transfer cryptocurrency to or from their Fidelity accounts. The company said it would be exploring cryptocurrency transfers in November, shortly after announcing the waitlist, but hasnt provided a clear timeline.

The separation of investors from the passwords known as private keys that allow direct owners to take custody of their cryptocurrencies combined with the inability to transfer holdings means that Fidelity retains custody of the assets. A string of bankruptcies among crypto exchanges and investment programs last year illustrated the drawbacks of entrusting digital assets to intermediaries, though Fidelitys size and reputation likely mitigates the risk.

The company has not responded to a Forbes request for more information.

Trading is open only to U.S. citizens over the age of 18 who reside in one of the 36 states where Fidelity Digital Assets offers services.

Following the footsteps of stock-trading app Robinhood and crypto exchange Binance.US, the asset manager has touted the offering as commission-free, but theres a catch: a 1% fee will be added to each transaction. The company calls the fee a spread and defines it as the difference between your execution price and the price at which Fidelity Digital Assets fills your order.

The move comes at a time when the U.S. cryptocurrency market is facing regulatory pressure, sparked by multiple high-profile collapses last year, and closures of crypto-friendly banks including the Silicon Valley Bank, Silvergate and Signature.

Still, the Fidelity service provides both the credibility that crypto has needed and the opportunity for investors, most of whom rely on their financial advisors for investment strategies, says Ric Edelman, a financial advisor and founder of Digital Assets Council of Financial Professionals.

In addition to cryptocurrency trading, Fidelity also provides, Fidelity Ethereum Index Fund, which tracks the performance of the coin in U.S dollars. In December, the asset manager filed three trademark applications for providing NFT and metaverse investment services.

Continue reading here:

Amid Crypto Bank Crisis, Fidelity Expands Bitcoin, Ether Trading To Most Retail Accounts - Forbes

It's been a tough time for cryptocurrency but, despite volatility, you still need to know how the technology works, said Douglas Boneparth, a certified financial planner based in New York.

The digital currency market dropped by nearly $1.4 trillion in 2022, following a cascade of bankruptcies and liquidity issues, including the high-profile collapse of crypto exchange FTX. In March, crypto-focused Silvergate Capital announced plans to wind down operations and regulators shut down crypto lender Signature Bank.

Although the crypto market rallied at the start of 2023, assets recently tumbled again, with bitcoin falling below $20,000 on Friday, triggered by a stock market sell-off in the U.S. But bitcoin surged by 10% on Monday, following the news of U.S. regulators' plans to safeguard depositors and financial institutions associated with Silicon Valley Bank.

Here are more FA Council perspectives on how to navigate this economy while building wealth.

Boneparth, who is president of Bone Fide Wealth and a member of CNBC's Financial Advisor Council, said the recent events and crypto market volatility have made him even more "bullish" on learning about the technology.

"Clearly, the decentralized financial world is interconnected to the traditional financial world more so now than ever before," he said.

An early adopter of digital currency since 2013, mostly in bitcoin, Boneparth said there's plenty to learn about the technology we'll inevitably see more from in the future.

"This doesn't necessarily mean you should be allocating your money there," he said. But he believes you should be investing your time and energy to see where the technology may be heading.

"I've learned a lot in my journey without having to take an exorbitant amount of risk," Boneparth said.

When it comes to cryptocurrency, he said the "best thing you can do" is learn about the technology and how decentralized finance works. "A little bit would go a long way," he added.

Ive learned a lot in my journey without having to take an exorbitant amount of risk.

Douglas Boneparth

President of Bone Fide Wealth

"That's powerful stuff," Boneparth said. "It's not always putting your money into the latest craze of crypto; it's learning what it's all about."

While many advisors won't recommend clients buy or sell digital currency, Boneparth said investors may come to his practice looking for guidance on existing crypto allocations.

"Some people have amassed quite a bit of money in cryptocurrency," he said. "And it's my job to show them what the risks are, how that concentration and that asset can impact their long-term goals and their portfolio."

Boneparth said it's important to know how owning any particular type of asset may affect your financial goals, especially "volatile assets" like cryptocurrency.

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Despite market volatility, advisor says he's 'bullish' on crypto education. Here's why - CNBC

14 March 2023

Image source, Getty Images

NatWest is limiting the amount of money customers can transfer to cryptocurrency exchanges.

From Tuesday, customers will be able to transfer a maximum of 1,000 a day to such exchanges, and no more than 5,000 per month.

The bank says it is to protect customers from "crypto-criminals" seeking to scam them.

NatWest head of fraud protection Stuart Skinner said the bank had seen an increase in the number of scams linked to cryptocurrency, with UK consumers losing an estimated 329m from such criminal acts.

He also gave advice to help people avoid being duped.

"You should always have sole control of your cryptocurrency wallet and nobody else should have access," he said.

"If you didn't set the wallet up yourself or can't access the money then this is likely to be a scam."

In June 2021, NatWest introduced some daily caps on customers' transfers to crypto exchanges, with the limits varying in size depending on the platform in question.

At the time, it cited concerns over investment scams and fraud.

Benoit Marzouk, chief executive of BitcoinPoint, a crypto trading app registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), said the limits imposed by NatWest were too restrictive and did not address the problem itself.

"Banks should instead focus on educating their users about the most common scams clients are falling victim to, typically the 'recovery of your funds' or demanding that you pay a withdrawal fee prior to the 'release of funds'," he told the BBC.

NatWest's announcement comes the same day as crypto exchange Binance announced it was stopping people from depositing and withdrawing their cash in pounds sterling.

Binance, which has more than 128 million customers, did not give details on the number of clients the move would impact.

The company is working to find an "alternative solution" for sterling transfers, a Binance spokesperson said.

Binance last month suspended all dollar bank transfers amid a growing crackdown on crypto by US authorities.

Previously Binance had been issued a warning by the FCA, the UK's financial regulator.

The FCA warned consumers in June 2021 that Binance did not hold "any form" of permission to offer services regulated in the UK.

The importance of sterling funding to Binance is unclear.

The company does not make public its finances, with the core of the business - the giant Binance.com exchange - mostly hidden from public view.

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NatWest limits cryptocurrency transfers over scam fears - BBC

Cryptos Energy-Intensive Process

But why is the crypto industry so energy-intensive? Some cryptocurrencies rely on something called proof-of-work mechanisms to validate transactions. This is done by crypto miners, who use computers to solve mathematical problems to monitor and validate new crypto transactions on block chains, the public ledgers which maintain a record of all crypto transactions. The aim of each miner is to solve these mathematical equations before others so that they can be paid out a set number of cryptocurrency for their work.

In the race against other miners, crypto mining operations require a vast amount of real-world energy both to run the computer processors and to cool them down. The electrical energy required to complete a single transaction for Bitcoin, the worlds most popular cryptocurrency, could power the average U.S. household for nearly 27 days and has a carbon footprint equal to nearly one million VISA card transactions.

Such massive energy demands have led to crackdowns all over the world as countries institute regulations that address both the energy and climate issues posed by crypto mining facilities.

For more than a decade, the United States and China were the major locations for crypto mining companies, accounting for 50 to 80 percent of all crypto mining. But starting in 2020, China clamped down. While Chinese authorities sought to regulate all cryptocurrency in the country, illegal crypto mining activity was specifically targeted due to its disorderly nature and disruption of the countrys carbon mitigation goals.

Meanwhile, Iran recently banned mining for four months after major power outages were allegedly caused by unlicensed mining operations. And Sweden has urged the EU to ban or heavily regulate cryptocurrency mining in order to reach the Paris Agreements targets regarding carbon emissions.

In the mad rush to move centers from China and other locations tamping down on crypto mining, many operations began to look for haven elsewhere. The ideal environment for crypto mining is a cold place with cheap, subsidized electricity and poor regulation. Enter Kazakhstan, an authoritarian country which provides subsidized energy to pacify its population and influential oligarchs.

Initially, this looked like a win-win. The Kazakh government actively courted crypto mining companies to the country, and crypto mining companies thrived in Kazakhstans cheap energy market. Within a short period of time, Kazakhstan became the worlds second-biggest host country for crypto mining. But by the end of 2021, mining operations made up an alarming seven percent of Kazakhstans entire energy generating capacity. The countrys outdated power grid, which still heavily relies on post-Soviet infrastructure, was deeply strained.

In 2022, this all came to a head. The increased demand tipped the grid over and power shortages led to localized blackouts in parts of the country, exacerbating existing tensions over corruption, inequality and the rising cost of fuel. In January, a poorly planned sharp increase in subsidized liquid natural gas prices led to mass protests across the country. The ten-day-long protest led to more than 200 deaths and nearly 10,000 arrests.

Within weeks, the government cut crypto miners off from the national grid, bringing the boom to an abrupt end. In the immediate term, dozens of mining operations shut down. Add to the mix a new law limiting the amount of electricity crypto miners can use, and many international crypto miners have moved on or are contemplating moving on.

In some cases, crypto mining companies are turning to renewable energy sources to overcome tensions with electrical grids. This is driven partly by requests from states, such as Quebec and New York, which have temporarily paused all new mining operations unless they are powered by renewables. The hope is that deploying renewables may help to stabilize vulnerable energy grids and offset some of the carbon emissions produced by crypto mining.

But crypto companies are also reading the room. Over 200 companies and individuals signed the Crypto Climate Accord, an effort to move the entire industry to net-zero emissions by 2030. However, the extent to which renewable energy is powering crypto mining and thereby reducing its environmental impact is up for debate.

Even with these gestures toward renewable energy, studies have found that the industry is trending toward environmental unsustainability. Right now, cryptocurrency produces slightly less climate damage per dollar created than burning gasoline.

While policymakers and crypto companies recognize minings impact on energy systems and carbon emissions, there has been little to no reflection regarding its impact on water resources. Yet, water is used in all phases of energy production and crypto mining is both directly and indirectly dependent on water.

Most directly, crypto mining often pumps water through its facilities to cool down computer processing systems. But energy systems rely on water in some way to produce energy, and crypto minings immense demand for energy correlates to an increased demand for water. This is clearest in the case of hydropower, where water is used to generate electricity. However, even coal plants use water to extract, wash and sometimes even transport coal.

In addition, electricity that directly powers mining operations may also impact local water. At thermal power plants, water is withdrawn from rivers or lakes to cool down the plant. Both the withdrawal process and the warmed water released back into the environment harms fish and wildlife and has a negative effect on water quality. Rising water temperatures can also lead to more organisms that drive algal blooms, leading to toxic conditions in local waterways.

This is concerning, as some of the most popular destinations for crypto mining and those that may be the next destinations in the face of increasing regulations are often water scarce and vulnerable to increasing tensions over the resource.

In Central Asia, a notoriously water scarce region, water has become a highly contested and strategic resource since the fall of the Soviet Union. Central Asia is even prone to conflict over water: As recently as 2021, water tensions led to violent clashes on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border, which resulted in the death of more than 40 people and displacement of 30,000 people on the Kyrgyz side.

Countries such as Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan face added water challenges. The two major water sources in the region, the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, are controlled by upstream neighbors Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Thus, water-scarce countries partake in complex transboundary water agreements that trade energy, such as oil and natural gas, for water access from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. If energy isnt readily available because of domestic demands, then energy-for-water swaps may be in jeopardy.

Despite this, Central Asian countries continue to negotiate energy-water swaps, including in 2022 when Kazakhstan was grappling with its energy crisis and Kyrgyzstan dealt with climate-related drought. In a clear sign of cooperation, in January of this year, after nearly a decade, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan agreed on a roadmap agreement to build a hydropower dam on Kyrgyzstan's Naryn River, Kambar-Ata-1 Mega Dam.

Certain states and countries once friendly to crypto mining will continue to adopt new restrictions in an attempt to limit carbon emissions and hedge negative energy impacts. Meanwhile, crypto miners will continue to seek out new opportunities and move to locations that provide cheap and readily available energy and will target countries where weak governance and corruption may make regulations less likely.

Crypto mining companies are already seeking out new frontiers, including other nations in Central Asia and parts of Africa, such as a new projectin Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. These sorts of pushes do little to ameliorate worries of energy-water nexus conflicts.

In 2022, the White House released a report which determined there is a need to regulate crypto minings impact on energy demands. Further, the White Houses 2022 Comprehensive Framework for Responsible Development of Digital Assets may be a starting place for enabling policymakers to address the issue of crypto mining above and beyond energy issues.

First, government entities must be tasked with tracking the environmental impacts of crypto mining. This may lead to more robust and comparable performance standards

Second, given the knock-on effects of national regulations, there must be some form of global governance on the issue to prevent crypto miners from simply seeking out new regions with accessible energy resources and poor regulation. One avenue for achieving this is through increased collaboration across global enforcement bodies, such as the Egmont Group, as well as information sharing and capacity building. International standard-setting bodies including the G7, G20, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Financial Stability Board, the Financial Action Task Force, and the International Organization for Standardization must also play a role.

Finally, crypto mining continues to expand its overall share in the United States in the wake of both the Chinese and Kazakh governments moves to regulate it. If the issue of crypto mining is to be addressed holistically, the United States must make good on its intention to play a leading role in this work.

Kayly Ober is a senior program officer working on climate, environment and conflict issues at USIP.Chris Collins is a senior program assistant on the policy, learning and strategy team at USIP

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Where Cryptocurrency, Water and Conflict Collide - United States Institute of Peace