Today, we’re proud to introduce Circle Foundation, a new philanthropic initiative dedicated to advancing financial resilience and inclusion in the US and around the world.
Since our founding in 2013, Circle has been focused on our mission of raising global economic prosperity through the frictionless exchange of value. And, for more than a decade in parallel, we’ve deployed our people and technology to expand access to financial tools that help people thrive — from enabling more efficient delivery of humanitarian aid, to helping entrepreneurs solve pressing global challenges. Now, we’re taking that commitment further.
Today, we’re proud to introduce Circle Foundation, a new philanthropic initiative dedicated to advancing financial resilience and inclusion in the United States and around the world. Seeded by Circle’s Pledge 1% equity commitment — a global initiative uniting thousands of companies in dedicating a portion of their equity and resources to philanthropy — the Circle Foundation will support groups that strengthen the financial systems people rely on every day. This includes organizations that work with small businesses in US communities and international groups modernizing the infrastructure of humanitarian aid.
From moments of impact to systemic change
Circle has seen firsthand how access to better financial tools can change lives, and over the years we’ve worked to help provide that access. We’ve continuously sought ways to collaborate with global organizations to help humanitarian organizations deliver aid faster, more securely, and at lower cost, while supporting entrepreneurs creating new models for financial access.
In Ukraine, we worked with the UN Refugee Agency to help deliver assistance via USDC to thousands of displaced people, giving them the means to start rebuilding their lives. In Venezuela, a collaboration with humanitarian and fintech partners helped route nearly $18 million to more than 60,000 healthcare workers at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. And, through Circle’s Unlocking Impact Pitch Competition, past winners like Rahat in Nepal and Ensuro in Kenya, and 2025 winner ATEC Global in Cambodia, demonstrated how they used USDC and open, digital infrastructure to build financial resilience against climate and economic shocks. Each of these efforts demonstrates the same truth: when financial systems are open, efficient, and inclusive, people gain access to opportunity.
Circle Foundation exists to build upon that impact by turning individual programs into systemic change, focusing on building durable infrastructure for economic participation that gives people and communities the tools, knowledge, and access they need to thrive.
Supporting access and resilience, starting at home
In its first phase, Circle Foundation will focus on strengthening the financial resilience of small businesses across the United States. Small businesses employ nearly half of all US private-sector workers and drive more than 40% of GDP, yet many still struggle to access affordable financing, digital tools, and the capital readiness they need to grow.
Through grantmaking, Circle Foundation will address this challenge by partnering with mission-driven lenders, known as Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), that fill critical gaps left by traditional finance. The Foundation will prioritize results-driven, technology-forward CDFIs that share best practices and data-driven insights across their networks, amplifying the reach and effectiveness of every dollar of support.
Expanding opportunity globally
While our initial grants will be made in the US, Circle Foundation’s mission is global. Around the world, billions remain excluded from financial systems that enable a prosperous future. The Circle Foundation will work with international organizations to modernize the infrastructure behind humanitarian finance, helping aid reach more people, more efficiently, and with greater transparency.
These efforts build on Circle’s long-standing collaborations with multilateral institutions and NGOs, and reflect our belief that financial access is a foundational element of global economic prosperity.
More than money: a commitment of time, expertise, and trust
Circle Foundation’s impact won’t be measured in dollars alone. Through our participation in Pledge 1%, Circle has committed both financial resources and employee time toward advancing social good. Every Circle employee will have up to 40 hours of paid volunteer time annually to contribute to nonprofits and community organizations of their choice.
Circle Foundation is also structured for independence and longevity. As a donor-advised fund housed with Fidelity, it is separately governed and focused entirely on mission-aligned giving. Circle covers the operational costs, so that Foundation dollars are directed where they matter most — right to impact.
Leading with purpose
“Since our founding in 2013, we’ve believed that digital assets and stablecoin technology can be a bridge to prosperity for everyone, everywhere. Circle Foundation brings that belief to fruition channeling our resources and expertise into building the infrastructure of economic inclusion. Through grantmaking and long-term support, we’re helping small businesses thrive while driving sustainable, systemic change worldwide.”
— Elisabeth Carpenter | Chief Strategic Engagement Officer | Founding Chair of Circle Foundation | Circle
After 9 years serving as Circle’s Chief Operating Officer, Elisabeth Carpenter has turned her attention to accelerating and giving permanence to Circle’s broader mission as Chief Strategic Engagement Officer and Founding Chair of Circle Foundation.
Circle Foundation marks the next step in Circle’s mission to raise global economic prosperity. Where Circle’s technology has helped move value faster and farther, Circle Foundation will help those benefits reach deeper through systems-level change at home and abroad.
