Explore the groundbreaking study by the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) at Cambridge Judge Business School, examining the potential use of digital assets for cash-based transfers (CBT) in humanitarian settings.
The Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) at Cambridge Judge Business School has just released a brand-new study. It offers perceptions and a rough analysis of how digital assets might be used to support cash-based transfer (CBT) in a humanitarian setting.
The study, Considering Digital Assets for Humanitarian Cash-Based Transfers, examines the humanitarian aid environments that stand to gain the most from adopting digital asset-based CBT operations.
The empirical analysis of earlier digital asset-based CBT pilots offers preliminary evidence that the use of digital assets by humanitarian relief organizations may be advantageous. If the necessary technical, logistical, regulatory, and policy requirements are satisfied, this is in addition to their beneficiaries in a variety of ways.
This UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO)-funded study examines CBT users’ potential benefits. Privacy protection, risk reduction from unpredictable local currencies, and avoiding expensive foreign money transfers are examples. This also expands financial services to the unbanked.
Except for this assessment of CBT pilots, there is little empirical data on how beneficiaries use digital assets in humanitarian contexts or if they prefer them to CBT methods. The evaluation also showed that CBT’s digital asset pilots cannot be compared.
The report also highlights and critically evaluates a variety of topics that agencies should take into account when designing pilot projects. The main objective is to offer recipients option and preference in addition to the CBT procedures already in place.
Before launching a digital asset-based CBT program, humanitarian and development organizations should take into account the following important factors:
- The CBT system in place at the moment
- The legal framework for digital assets in the relevant jurisdictions
- Local circumstances and the distinct humanitarian climate
- The implementing agency’s skills
- Characteristics of the target audience
Using digital resources for humanitarian purposes
“Technology-enabled financial innovation can play a significant role in improving the speed, effectiveness, scalability, and security of humanitarian aid. However, their adoption must be centered on people and supported by research. According to Bryan Zhang, co-founder and executive director of the CCAF, “they need to take into account appropriate technological, logistical, regulatory, and policy conditions and considerations.
The possible use of digital assets for cash-based transfer programs in a humanitarian setting is explored in this study. Our grasp of this difficult subject was advanced through the case study of the Philippines.
According to Nick Dyer, director general of humanitarian and development at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, “this paper highlights critical factors for improving agency operations and cash-based transfer programs and points to further research in terms of benefits and challenges for agencies and beneficiaries in other local contexts.”
“The UK is strongly interested in these attempts to use digital assets correctly since it is a major humanitarian donor and because there are more humanitarian crises around the world. Lastly, we wish to strengthen our group’s humanitarian response to help people in need.
