Lido and UNHCR Launch Impact Staking—Crypto Philanthropy Cuts Out Middlemen (and Tax Man)

Crypto meets humanitarian aid: Lido’s new staking partnership with UNHCR lets ETH holders donate yield directly to refugees—no banks, no bureaucracy, just blockchain.

How it works: Stake ETH via Lido, redirect rewards to UNHCR wallets. The agency converts to fiat as needed. Auditable on-chain, naturally.

The twist: Donors still claim staking tax deductions in most jurisdictions—because nothing motivates generosity like a write-off.

Wall Street’s take: ’Innovative!’ (while quietly seething that 4% APY now bypasses their wealth management fees).

Bottom line: A rare crypto use case that actually helps humans—assuming ETH doesn’t crash mid-airdrop.

In a groundbreaking initiative to diversify funding streams amidst global financial challenges, Switzerland for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency’s National partner for Switzerland, has partnered with Lido Impact Staking (LIS). This collaboration introduces a novel avenue for supporters to stake Ethereum (ETH), opportunities to earn staking rewards, and allocate a portion of these rewards to aid refugees worldwide.

As UNHCR faces significant funding reductions, impacting millions of displaced individuals, the agency is exploring innovative solutions to sustain its humanitarian efforts. By integrating with Lido Impact Staking, Switzerland for UNHCR taps into the burgeoning world of decentralized finance (DeFi), enabling crypto enthusiasts and donors to contribute to refugee assistance without liquidating their assets. 

Lido Impact Staking allows ETH holders to:

• Stake ETH: Participants stake their Ethereum through Lido’s secure platform, maintaining liquidity and earning staking rewards.
• Allocate Rewards: Donors can designate a portion of their earned rewards to UNHCR, providing a continuous and sustainable funding source.
• Support Refugee Initiatives: Contributions directly aid UNHCR’s programs, including emergency relief, shelter, healthcare, and education for refugees and displaced persons globally.

This method offers a sustainable giving model, allowing donors to support vital humanitarian work while retaining their principal investment.

Established in 1950, UNHCR has been at the forefront of protecting and assisting refugees, striving to ensure that every individual can seek asylum and find SAFE refuge. In response to evolving global challenges, UNHCR’s national partner for Switzerland is embracing digital innovations to bolster the UN Refugee Agency’s mission.

Lido Impact Staking provides a seamless interface for ETH holders to engage in philanthropy, merging the benefits of DeFi with impactful charitable giving. This partnership exemplifies Switzerland for UNHCR’s commitment to adapting to the world of Web3 and expanding opportunities for global supporters to contribute meaningfully.

Switzerland for UNHCR invites individuals, institutions, and the crypto community to participate in this transformative initiative. By staking ETH and allocating rewards to UNHCR, supporters can play a pivotal role in addressing the pressing needs of refugees and displaced populations worldwide.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is a UN agency mandated to aid and protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people, assisting in their voluntary repatriation, local integration, or resettlement to a third country. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, UNHCR operates in over 135 countries, providing life-saving assistance and advocating for the rights of displaced individuals globally.

Lido Impact Staking (LIS) is an innovative philanthropic model developed to leverage Ethereum staking rewards for social impact. Originally pioneered by Launchnodes, a provider of solo staking infrastructure for institutional clients, Impact Staking redirects staking rewards toward funding high-impact initiatives without donors needing to liquidate their principal assets. In 2023, the Lido Ecosystem Grants Organization (LEGO) supported the development of Impact Staking middleware, seamlessly integrating it with Lido’s liquid staking technology. 

Switzerland for UNHCR is the UN Refugee Agency’s national partner for Switzerland. It supports UNHCR’s mission by mobilizing essential resources and raising awareness on behalf of those who are forced to flee. As UNHCR’s fundraising arm in Switzerland – a country with a clear legal framework for blockchain and cryptocurrency – Switzerland for UNHCR is spearheading fundraising innovation in blockchain across the organization.

For more information and to become an impact staker for UNHCR, users can visit:

https://unhcr.impactstake.com/