The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) has announced a new round of grants from its Bitcoin Development Fund

The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) has announced a new round of grants from its Bitcoin Development Fund, distributing 1 billion satoshis (10 BTC) to over 20 projects worldwide.

The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is pleased to announce a new round of grants from its Bitcoin Development Fund, awarding 1 billion satoshis (10 BTC) to over 20 projects.

This year’s cohort includes a diverse range of projects advancing Bitcoin as a tool for financial and human rights empowerment.

Authoritarian regimes often use internet shutdowns to stall anti-government protests, throttle dissent, and restrict access to financial tools. NetBlocks, a digital rights watchdog organization, monitors and reports on these shutdowns in real-time. HRF’s support will enhance NetBlocks’ monitoring, documentation, and research capabilities to reinforce internet and financial fredom.

TollGate, a project developed by ISP c03rad0r, transforms ordinary WiFi routers into decentralized internet service providers using Bitcoin and ecash. This peer-to-peer networking tool allows users to bypass centralized ISPs, offering an alternative to state-controlled internet access. With HRF funding, TollGate will continue advancing its mission of building a censorship-resistant internet that empowers individuals to communicate freely.

Vinteum is a nonprofit Bitcoin research and development center based in Latin America. It focuses on training and funding developers to contribute to the Bitcoin protocol and ecosystem. With support from HRF, Vinteum plans to expand its developer education programs, sponsor contributors, and strengthen Latin America’s Bitcoin development community, helping the region build financial alternatives to fragile fiat systems.

BTCPay Server is an open-source, self-hosted Bitcoin payment processor that allows individuals and organizations to accept Bitcoin without relying on third parties. This is especially critical in regimes where payment processors are weaponized to silence NGOs and activists. HRF’s grant will help scale BTCPay’s reach, improve usability, and increase global access to censorship-resistant payments.

Africa Bitcoin Institute (ABI), supported by Rwandan activist Anaïse Kanimba, bridges the gap between Bitcoin adoption and policy in Africa. ABI conducts research and provides policy recommendations to promote financial autonomy. With HRF’s backing, ABI will will promote financial autonomy and solidify Bitcoin’s role as a pillar of economic freedom

Bitcoin Core Graphical User Interface (GUI) – Running a full Bitcoin node is a cornerstone of financial sovereignty, but the technical interface can be a barrier. Bitcoin-core/gui-qml, a project supported by developer Go Qu, modernizes the Bitcoin Core GUI to make it more intuitive, especially for mobile users in developing regions. HRF funding will support ongoing development to lower the barrier to entry for node runners globally.

Rkrux is a Bitcoin Core contributor focused on code review, bug testing, and improving documentation. His contributions help maintain Bitcoin’s resilience. HRF’s grant will allow Rkrux to continue his work, ensuring that the Bitcoin network remains robust, secure, and censorship-resistant for users around the world.

Elsat is a developer contributing to the Nostr ecosystem, including projects like Damus, Nostrability, and Zap.store. These tools offer decentralized messaging, improved app interoperability, and peer-to-peer software monetization. HRF’s grant will support ongoing development aimed at strengthening free expression and financial independence for users under authoritarian regimes.

Relay Wizard, created by developer J the Code Monkey, simplifies the process of setting up Nostr relays. These relays are essential to decentralized communication on the Nostr protocol. The tool allows non-technical users to operate their own servers, contributing to a more resilient, censorship-resistant communication infrastructure. HRF’s grant will advance development and deployment of this tool.

Waye is a support initiative co-founded by Bitcoin Core developer Amiti Uttarwar and operational architect Anna Sides. It provides psycho-social support for open-source developers building freedom tech. By addressing burnout and isolation among contributors, Waye strengthens the ecosystem’s human foundation. HRF funding will help Waye expand its reach, especially to developers from the Global South.

Hashpool is a self-hosted mining pool developed by vnprc that supports decentralization in Bitcoin mining. Rather than relying on centralized entities, miners are rewarded with ecash tokens, enabling instant, private payouts. HRF’s support will further Hashpool’s development and promote a more distributed and censorship-resistant mining landscape.

Cashu KVAC is a protocol upgrade for Cashu, a Chaumian ecash system that enables extremely strong financial privacy. Developed by lollerfirst, this improvement enhances privacy by reducing data storage and hiding transaction amounts. HRF’s grant will support further development, reinforcing financial privacy protections for vulnerable users.

Self-Custody Research: Brandon Black (Rearden) is conducting research into the challenges of self-custody for Bitcoin users in authoritarian regimes. His findings will inform new tools and education that make secure, private Bitcoin usage more accessible. HRF’s grant will fund this research and the development of educational resources.

Stable Channels is a project by Tony Klausing that introduces fiat-pegged