SXSW 2019

Combating Global Poverty on the Blockchain

Trust in institutions around the world are failing. And in the developing world, only 15% of residents believe the systems in their country are working for them. As a result, more poor and underprivileged global citizens are falling behind the financial and digital divide. Blockchain technologies, through their inherent trust mechanisms, are a potential vehicle for building and restoring that trust by helping isolated communities get online, connected and verified to participate in the financial infrastructure that can empower entire regions. Solutions exist today, sometimes only requiring the smartphone in their hands, to circumvent the barriers to economic mobility.