Main points
In 2018, Hiroshima faced severe flooding, and Binance Charity launched a global crypto donation campaign, raising 61.09 BTC to support the affected communities.
Local Binance user Mai played a pivotal role in this operation, helping a local NPO (non-profit organization) receive and convert crypto donations, proving that blockchain can distribute aid faster, with lower fees, and more transparently compared to traditional transfers.
Since 2018, Binance Charity has donated over $43.5M across 86 countries and regions, benefiting over 4 million recipients worldwide.
In 2018, parts of Hiroshima, Japan, faced severe flooding. Community residents were forced to evacuate, homes were damaged, and local organizations faced increasing pressure to quickly disburse aid. Binance Charity promptly launched a global donation campaign, raising 61.09 BTC from donors worldwide.
But there was a problem: the local NPOs (non-profit organizations) in need of funds had never dealt with cryptocurrency before. For Mai, who has been a Binance user since 2017 and founded a crypto charity platform in Japan, this was the challenge she had been preparing to tackle for years. Years later, Mai recounted this experience in our latest issue (Binance Spotlight) and reflected on the evolution of crypto donations since then.
Cryptocurrency meets humanitarian crisis
For years, Mai has been trying to introduce cryptocurrency into the Japanese charity sector—she firmly believes that blockchain can make donations faster, more transparent, and more efficient in emergencies. However, local organizations' adoption remained limited until the floods struck.
Binance Charity's global campaign quickly raised funds. However, converting the 61.09 BTC raised globally into yen that local NPOs could actually use required someone knowledgeable in both fields. Thus, Binance reached out to Mai.
Making cryptocurrency usable for local relief
With her experience in cryptocurrency and charitable work, Mai assisted in converting the donation funds through Binance into approximately 50 million yen—allowing BTC to be quickly exchanged for fiat currency and directly transferred to local NPOs.
Compared to many traditional cross-border transfers, this process is faster and cheaper. With minimal fees and quick exchanges, more funds could be directly allocated for relief instead of operational costs.
"There were almost no fees, and it was done in seconds," Mai said. "That’s the real advantage of cryptocurrency."
A turning point for crypto donations in Japan
The Hiroshima relief effort changed the perception of 'possibilities' in Japan's non-profit sector. After witnessing crypto donations practically achieve speed, low costs, and verifiability, more organizations began exploring digital assets as a legitimate fundraising avenue.
Since then, Mai has continued to help many of these organizations raise funds through Binance, allowing them to receive global donations more broadly. Each organization that joined expanded Binance Charity's reach in Japan—and every saved transfer fee meant more aid could directly reach its target population.
Today, the affected communities have completed their reconstruction. Across Japan, the number of charitable organizations accepting crypto donations has also significantly increased compared to before the Hiroshima campaign—this transformation began with a conversion that took mere seconds.
Binance Charity: Eight years, 86 countries and regions, 4 million lives
Mai's story is just one chapter in a larger movement. Since 2018, Binance Charity has donated over $43.5 million in 86 countries and regions, benefiting more than 4 million recipients globally through projects covering disaster relief, humanitarian support, and Web3 education.
These efforts include flood relief projects in Southeast Asia, support for displaced families in Europe, and educational initiatives to spread blockchain knowledge in Africa.
By combining global outreach with local action, Binance Charity continues to improve the ways aid is raised, transferred, and distributed during crises.
Binance Spotlight: Real stories from the community
This story is part of the (Binance Spotlight) series, which focuses on the real experiences of people whose lives have been impacted by cryptocurrency from around the world.
From creators and educators to entrepreneurs and humanitarian advocates, the series explores how Binance users apply blockchain technology in practical and meaningful ways. Mai's story illustrates that cryptocurrency is not just about trading and finance; it can also support humanitarian efforts when communities need it most.
Watch Mai tell her story in her own words.
How to get involved
(Binance Spotlight) is not just a series of inspiring stories—it’s an open invitation. We want to hear from users around the globe, no matter where you are or who you are. What does cryptocurrency and Binance mean to your life?
Share (Binance Spotlight) videos on social media and use the hashtag #HumansOfBinance to tell us how cryptocurrency has made a real change for you. The most compelling stories will be made into short animations, showcasing your journey to a global audience, with a chance to win a share of 3,000 USDC. Participants must also complete a short survey to qualify.
Real stories. Real people. Real cryptocurrency.
Extended reading
Binance Spotlight: Real stories. Real people. Real cryptocurrency.
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