Pousty expects that on December 2, "Crypto Giving Tuesday," cryptocurrency donations will peak.
Written by: Rachel Wolfson
Translated by: Chopper, Foresight News
Thanksgiving is a significant milestone for charitable donations in the United States, marking the beginning of the generous season from late November to the end of the year. In 2025, a new trend is reshaping holiday charity, with explosive growth in cryptocurrency donations.
Benjamin Pousty, Chief Operating Officer of the cryptocurrency donation platform The Giving Block, revealed to Cryptonews that the platform has processed nearly $100 million in cryptocurrency donations for thousands of nonprofit organizations this year.
"This is our best year to date," Pousty stated, "Since our launch in 2018, we have processed nearly $300 million in cryptocurrency donations, which is a significant milestone for the crypto charity movement."
2025: A Breakthrough Year for Cryptocurrency Donations
Despite the current downturn in the cryptocurrency market, Pousty believes that recent historical highs are a key driver behind the surge in charitable donations this year.
"The cryptocurrency market has reached new highs in years, and historical data shows that when asset values rise, charitable donations tend to increase as well," he said.
For example, Bitcoin hit a historical peak of over $126,000 on October 6, 2025. Pousty pointed out that Bitcoin remains the top donation asset received by the platform this year, followed closely by major stablecoins, including USDT, USDC, and Ripple's RLUSD.
"Donations in Ethereum, Ripple, and Solana are also consistently active," Pousty added.
Even as cryptocurrency prices continue to decline, Pousty noted that there is an annual surge in cryptocurrency donations during the holiday season. Donations in December alone account for nearly 30% of the annual total, consistent with the overall trend in charitable giving, where donors are more generous during the holiday season. Pousty anticipates that on December 2, "Crypto Giving Tuesday," cryptocurrency donations will peak.
"This is the cryptocurrency community's version of 'Giving Tuesday,'" he explained, "For The Giving Block, this marks the official launch of our large fundraising campaign, Crypto for Good. This initiative brings together donors, nonprofits, and partners in the Web3 space to promote the spirit of generosity and encourage charitable donations through crypto assets."
The Annual Impact of Cryptocurrency Donations
An increasing number of nonprofit organizations are beginning to support and accept cryptocurrency donations, indicating the tangible impact of such initiatives.
For instance, Keith Grossman, President of the crypto technology company Moonpay, told Cryptonews that he helped the nonprofit organization New York Cares launch a cryptocurrency donation program in 2021. As a board member of the organization, Grossman stated that cryptocurrency donations have had a real impact on New York Cares, and 2025 is particularly significant for this largest volunteer network in New York City.
"This year, 16 cryptocurrency companies collectively donated over $400,000 to the Crypto for Good initiative, which supports Title I schools in New York City," he said.
The initiative is also part of New York Cares' broader embrace of crypto innovation. "From Moonpay's perspective, we integrated Helio (now rebranded as Moonpay Commerce) into New York Cares' official website to assist in processing some donations," Grossman explained.
Additionally, The Giving Block's Crypto for Good report shows that cryptocurrency donations have produced quantifiable results: by the end of 2025, thanks to cryptocurrency donations, 28.5 million children received food assistance, 357,000 people gained access to clean water, and 22,160 animals were rescued and rehabilitated.
Donor-Advised Funds Boosting the Cryptocurrency Community
While supporting traditional nonprofits, cryptocurrency donations are also injecting funds into the development of the cryptocurrency ecosystem.
Joe Kelly, co-founder and CEO of Unchained Capital, revealed to Cryptonews that the company launched the "Bitcoin Legacy Project" in April this year, a charitable initiative aimed at strengthening the Bitcoin ecosystem.
"The initial funding commitment for this project is $1 million, with plans to expand funding in the coming years. The project will directly support developers, educators, and advocates who are driving the future of Bitcoin," Kelly said.
He explained that the "Bitcoin Legacy Project" is the first native Bitcoin donor-advised fund (DAF) platform, allowing donors to support nonprofits aligned with Bitcoin ideals in a structured, tax-efficient manner.
To further support ecosystem development and incentivize donations, Kelly noted that Unchained will provide a 1:1 matching grant for funds donated to partner organizations through its native Bitcoin DAF platform. Organizations such as the MIT Media Lab Digital Currency Initiative, the Human Rights Foundation, Open Sats, and Brink will receive grants of up to 1 Bitcoin through this program.
"DAFs provide a simple, tax-efficient way for high-net-worth individuals and organizations to give back. Donors can contribute Bitcoin or other assets, receive an immediate tax deduction, and retain the donated funds in Bitcoin within the fund," the DAF stated.
Donors can recommend funding to any U.S. nonprofit organization that qualifies under 501(c)(3), and the recipient can choose to receive donations in Bitcoin.
As part of this diversified initiative, the "Bitcoin Legacy Project" will provide funding to six other key initiatives in its first year, including three leading Bitcoin centers—Bitcoin Parks in Nashville and Austin, as well as "The Space" in Denver, which will provide essential infrastructure support for developers.
Advantages of Cryptocurrency Donations
In addition to supporting causes they care about, cryptocurrency donations also offer several tax advantages.
Pousty stated that cryptocurrency donations are often more tax-efficient than selling appreciated assets, allowing donors to avoid capital gains tax while deducting the full fair market value of the asset.
For example, if a donor holds cryptocurrency for more than 12 months and the asset has appreciated, they can fully exempt capital gains tax after the donation. This is the primary tax advantage and a core reason many donors choose cryptocurrency over cash donations.
Moreover, cryptocurrencies allow for instant cross-border transfers, meaning nonprofits can receive funds more quickly in emergencies.
For instance, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the Ukrainian government created a public cryptocurrency wallet address to receive various cryptocurrency donations, and millions of dollars in crypto assets have been used to support related relief efforts in Ukraine.
Notably, cryptocurrency donations often attract a younger donor demographic, as millennials and Gen Z make up the majority of cryptocurrency users.
Challenges to Watch
Despite the significant advantages of cryptocurrency donations, some organizations and donors may still face challenges.
First, the volatility of cryptocurrencies can pose issues. If the value of the asset declines and is not promptly converted to dollars, the actual value of the donation will diminish. Additionally, in many jurisdictions, the tax treatment of cryptocurrency donations differs from cash, with complex regulations regarding tax deductions, reporting, and compliance.
At the same time, accepting and processing cryptocurrency donations requires corresponding infrastructure support. Platforms like The Giving Block work directly with nonprofits to ensure that cryptocurrency donations can be correctly received and provide compliance reporting for tax filings.
A Continued Influx of Cryptocurrency Donations
Despite the challenges, cryptocurrency donations may continue to grow in the future.
Pousty believes that cryptocurrency donations are gradually becoming an important method of giving alongside cash, and this trend is very clear. He added that as the use of cryptocurrencies becomes more widespread, the volume of cryptocurrency donations from high-net-worth individuals is expected to increase, and the share of crypto assets in total charitable donations will steadily rise.
"With each cycle, we see donors becoming more mature, nonprofits becoming more proactive, and industry partners joining in support of mission-driven charitable efforts. We are moving toward a new future: cryptocurrency donations will become a standard component of modern philanthropy, alongside stocks, donor-advised funds, and other non-cash assets," Pousty said.
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