The Giving Block Turns 7: A Milestone for Crypto Philanthropy
The Giving Block was founded in 2018. Back then, one Bitcoin was worth about $8,500. Today, the price of Bitcoin is over $105,000. That’s a more than 1,100% increase in just seven years—making Bitcoin the best-performing asset of the decade. If only we’d been able to buy more Bitcoin back then…
When we launched, most nonprofits hadn’t even begun to consider cryptocurrency fundraising. Crypto was still seen as a fringe experiment or a risky bet. Today, every leading nonprofit has heard of Bitcoin, and the majority of top nonprofits are actively fundraising it.
Tens of thousands of schools, religious organizations and charities have grown their fundraising outcomes via Crypto Philanthropy, as cryptocurrency remains one of the fastest-growing trends in major gifts fundraising.
Since our founding, billions of dollars in crypto have been donated to charitable causes. That pace is only accelerating, with over $1B donated via crypto last year alone. This year already, we are on pace to break more Crypto Philanthropy records, with notable gifts like the $25 million donation from our friends at Ripple to DonorsChoose and Teach for America.
Still, not every nonprofit is making the most of this moment. While more organizations are accepting crypto donations than ever before, many are still sitting on the sidelines and letting the moment pass them by. With thousands of organizations like St. Jude and Save the Children raising millions, we are on a mission to make sure that the other amazing causes don’t miss this opportunity to build lasting relationships with the next generation of donors.
What we do know is that the nonprofits who have leaned in—who are actively engaging crypto donors, integrating digital asset fundraising, and building programs around this community—are pulling away from the rest. They’re forging lifelong donor relationships in a way that feels personal, innovative, and future-focused.
Our anniversary updates may start to sound familiar to those who have followed us over the years. The pattern is clear:
- More people own crypto each year
- More capital flows into crypto each year
- More institutions embrace the space—Visa, Mastercard, JP Morgan, BlackRock, Fidelity, and more
And with each passing year, more nonprofits launch crypto programs, engage crypto donors, and grow their average gift size in ways that traditional methods can’t match
Crypto is no longer a curiosity—it’s infrastructure. As the Great Wealth Transfer rages on, crypto is becoming a foundational way that the next generation of high value donors invest, and give. For the nonprofits that recognize this shift early, it will be one of their most powerful competitive advantages.
Here’s to seven years of growth, innovation, and impact. And here’s to the future we’re still building—together.
Alex & Pat
Co-Founders