UNDP Partners with Ethereum, Cardano, 24 Companies for Blockchain Development

Key Insights

• The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has launched the Blockchain Advisory Group (BAG) to explore real-world blockchain use cases.
• The initiative brings together 26 organizations, including Ethereum, Cardano, Stellar, and Kraken.
• Financial inclusion, digital identity, climate solutions, and public services were identified as key focus areas.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has brought blockchain technology into public services and global development initiatives. Chaired by UNDP Associate Administrator Haoliang Xu, the new group aims to connect policymakers, development agencies, and blockchain organizations to identify practical ways in which blockchain tech can improve public systems and expand access to essential services.

What’s the Need for a Blockchain Advisory Group?

On June 3, the organization officially launched the Blockchain Advisory Group (BAG) during Proof of Talk 2026 in Paris, bringing together leaders from across the blockchain industry to explore how the technology can help solve real-world challenges.

The first meeting focused on one of the biggest challenges facing many countries today: financial inclusion.

According to UNDP, discussions centered on obstacles that continue to limit access to financial services, including broken payment networks, limited digital identity systems, interoperability issues, and institutional readiness.

The organization believes blockchain could help address some of these problems by making financial services more accessible, improving transparency, and reducing inefficiencies in existing systems.

Blockchain Already Plays a Growing Role in UNDP Projects

The launch of the Blockchain Advisory Group builds on several blockchain-related projects that UNDP is already exploring across different regions.

The agency has worked with governments and technology partners throughout Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East.This includes projects involving digital payments, climate finance, digital identity systems, supply-chain traceability, public procurement, and public service delivery.

Alongside the group's launch, UNDP's AltFinLab hosted several events under the theme "Scaling Blockchain for Public Good," including demonstrations of blockchain and decentralized artificial intelligence (AI) projects already being tested in development programs.

Who All Joined the Blockchain Advisory Group?

The Blockchain Advisory Group includes 26 organizations representing different parts of the blockchain industry.

Members include the Ethereum Foundation, Cardano Foundation, Stellar Development Foundation, Algorand Foundation, Avalanche Foundation, Arbitrum Foundation, Filecoin Foundation, Sui Foundation, Web3 Foundation, Cosmos' Interchain Foundation, and cryptocurrency exchange Kraken.

The group also includes research organizations, regional blockchain associations, and development-focused initiatives working on blockchain adoption around the world.

What Comes Next for the Initiative?

The Blockchain Advisory Group will meet twice each year, with every session focusing on a different development challenge.

Future discussions will cover

• Digital governance
• Public trust
• Legal identity
• Financial inclusion
• Sustainability
• Climate Initiatives
• Digital labor markets
• The future of work

Rather than focusing only on discussions, UNDP says the goal is to identify practical opportunities where blockchain technology can be deployed to improve services, increase transparency, and deliver measurable benefits for communities.

The launch marks one of the clearest signs yet that international development organizations are taking blockchain technology seriously, not as a speculative asset class.