Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

A recent report from CGAP, a think tank associated with the World Bank, has turned the spotlight onto the use of stablecoins in international humanitarian aid. The report, frequently discussed by prominent crypto commentator All In Crypto, features real-world cases where Stellar- and Algorand-based platforms facilitate digital cash transfers in challenging regions.

Stablecoins in humanitarian relief effortsCGAP’s research investigates whether stablecoins can assist non-profit organizations in moving money across borders, particularly when traditional correspondent banks are slow, costly, or outright inaccessible. The analysis identifies a range of technical and regulatory barriers, including high transaction fees, lack of transparency in foreign exchange rates, delays of several days in payments, and the withdrawal of banks from jurisdictions labeled high-risk.

The report notes that stablecoins transact on blockchain networks, with the choice of network directly affecting costs, speed, and service availability. Stellar is highlighted as a blockchain supporting USDC, while both Stellar and Algorand are specifically identified as preferred low-fee networks in humanitarian cash transfer programs.

Field cases: Stellar and Algorand in actionIn Sudan, the Norwegian Refugee Council used KoalaPay, a digital payments platform, to distribute USDC—a major dollar-pegged stablecoin—to local partners handling aid disbursement. According to All In Crypto’s summary, KoalaPay runs on both Stellar and Base networks, with local organizations converting USDC into Sudanese pounds before transferring money to aid recipients.

A separate Ukraine initiative, launched in December 2022, relied on Stellar’s Aid Assist platform, MoneyGram, and self-managed digital wallets. This program delivered $4.6 million to more than 2,500 households during its first two years of operation.

CGAP described how, in Ukraine, digital stablecoin payments on Stellar and integration with major remittance networks enabled fast, traceable transactions to recipients in a highly volatile market.

Meanwhile, Algorand features in the Afghanistan-based case managed by Mercy Corps and HesabPay, a platform that sent a stablecoin denominated in afghani, the local currency, to users’ wallets. HesabPay allows recipients to receive digital funds directly, even in environments with limited banking infrastructure.

Mini dictionary: CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor) is a global partnership housed at the World Bank, focused on advancing financial inclusion in developing economies by researching digital financial services and innovative technologies.

CountryPlatformBlockchain UtilizedStablecoinImplementation PartnerReported ImpactSudanKoalaPayStellar, BaseUSDCNorwegian Refugee CouncilFunds converted to Sudanese pounds, distributed to local recipientsUkraineAid Assist, MoneyGramStellarUSDC (via wallets)Multiple partners$4.6M to 2,500 householdsAfghanistanHesabPayAlgorandAfghani-denominated stablecoinMercy CorpsDirect-to-recipient stablecoin aid deliveryChallenges remain for digital aid solutionsWhile CGAP affirms that stablecoins can enhance traceability and expand market access for cross-border aid, the report cautions that familiar hurdles remain. Currency exchange, cash withdrawal, and compliance all present continued challenges, even when on-chain transaction costs are negligible. The expense and availability of off-ramps—services that allow recipients to convert digital assets into local currency—still pose operational difficulties.

Another warning from CGAP is that direct-to-recipient models could shift foreign exchange risk, withdrawal fees, and digital literacy requirements to aid recipients. These risks are particularly significant for vulnerable populations in regions with limited access to merchant networks or digital infrastructure.

CGAP emphasizes that while blockchain-based transfers may cut transaction fees, practical access and inclusion barriers can persist in fragile environments where alternatives are scarce.

Stellar is an open-source blockchain designed for fast, low-cost cross-border payments and is widely used by financial institutions and non-profits for currency transfers. Algorand, launched in 2019, offers high-speed and scalable decentralized finance solutions and operates with a unique pure proof-of-stake protocol.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.

Algorand quietly racked up over 1.8 million new smart contract deployments in the past quarter, a 25.7% increase in activity that puts the Layer 1 blockchain in a peculiar position. Developer interest is clearly climbing. The token price, not so much.

The contract deployment surge, tracked by Token Terminal, represents a meaningful acceleration for a network that many crypto observers had written off during the bear market doldrums. For context, Algorand’s January 2026 Algo Insights Report showed 808,000 smart contracts deployed at that point, marking a 31.5% increase at the time.

The numbers behind the builder boom On-chain asset creation on Algorand surged 239% month-over-month, according to the Algorand Foundation’s own evaluation. Contract deployments specifically grew 47% in a recent monthly period.

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The most tangible proof point might be Lofty AI, a real estate tokenization platform built on Algorand. As of early July 2026, Lofty crossed $100 million in total value locked. That’s capital flowing into tokenized real-world assets.

Active wallet growth and transaction volumes have also increased alongside the contract deployment numbers.

The quantum play The Algorand Foundation published a formal roadmap for post-quantum cryptography in June 2026, setting a target of comprehensive quantum resistance by the end of 2027. The initiative builds on work that started back in 2022.

The price disconnect investors should watch ALGO currently trades around $0.08. The disconnect between on-chain activity and token price isn’t unique to Algorand, but the gap here is particularly stark given that contract deployments more than doubled since January, asset creation exploded by 239%, a major DApp hit $100M in TVL, and the foundation is executing on a multi-year quantum security roadmap.

Algorand’s tokenomics have faced criticism over the years regarding early investor unlocks and foundation distributions, which may be suppressing price appreciation even as fundamentals improve. The real-world asset tokenization angle gives Algorand a differentiated narrative, with Lofty AI’s $100M TVL milestone as concrete evidence. Ethereum, Avalanche, and Polygon are all aggressively courting the RWA sector.

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