Human Rights Foundation Backs 22 Freedom Tech Projects

The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) has announced a significant new funding initiative, directing 1.3 billion satoshis from its Bitcoin Development Fund to 22 projects worldwide. This capital injection, disclosed for the fourth quarter of 2025, is specifically designed to bolster financial freedom and censorship resistance for individuals living under authoritarian rule.

The grants will support a diverse range of efforts, including open-source Bitcoin development, decentralized mining infrastructure, privacy-preserving financial tools, and grassroots education. By backing these initiatives, the foundation aims to strengthen the Bitcoin protocol itself while expanding access to permissionless money for dissidents, journalists, and ordinary citizens facing political repression across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

A substantial portion of the funding is dedicated to reinforcing the foundational layers of the Bitcoin network, specifically targeting centralization risks in mining. Much of the current mining landscape relies on outdated protocols that can expose the network to censorship. Two projects are at the forefront of this effort to restore autonomy to individual miners.

Stratum V2, developed by bit-aloo, addresses a critical fault where block construction is often controlled by mining pools. This new protocol enables home miners to build their own block templates, effectively bypassing potential censorship from pool operators. The grant will support full-time work on performance testing and code maintenance for this reference implementation.

Similarly, Braidpool introduces a peer-to-peer, open-source mining pool design. This model allows participants to collaboratively construct blocks and coordinate rewards without a central operator, creating a more democratic and transparent system. Software developer Mohd Zaid will use the support to advance this structural shift away from centralized pool control.

Empowering individuals with knowledge is a core pillar of the strategy, with several grants focused on education and practical application in high-risk environments. These programs are tailored to overcome barriers like financial surveillance, banking exclusion, and currency instability.

• Open Money, Closed Access (OMCA): Provides Bitcoin-based tools for low-cost, private transactions in conflict-affected areas.
• Learning Bitcoin from the Command Line: Offers an updated, hands-on curriculum for developers in multiple languages.
• Bitcoin Indonesia & Bitcoin House Bali: Expands workshops and media outreach to protect incomes and financial autonomy.
• The Bitcoin Learning Center: A physical hub in Chiang Mai, Thailand, serving students from neighboring countries.

These educational initiatives are designed to build local circular economies and provide resilient financial infrastructure. By teaching the practical use of Bitcoin, these projects help communities navigate restrictive banking systems and achieve financial independence during periods of instability.

Several projects are creating direct solutions for human rights defenders and citizens living under repressive regimes. These initiatives provide uncensorable platforms and financial tools to counter state surveillance and control.

In Azerbaijan, where activists and journalists face bank freezes and blocked donations, the Voices Uncensored platform offers a Bitcoin-based solution. Led by former political prisoner Elchin Mammad, it pairs uncensorable payments with Azerbaijani-language training, equipping defenders with the financial independence needed to continue their work.

Meanwhile, in Mozambique, Bitcoin Famba is fostering local circular economies to combat chronic inflation and heavy financial restrictions. In Tanzania, developer Devgitotox is contributing directly to Bitcoin's core software, improving wallet upgrades and node reliability while empowering more women to participate in Bitcoin Core development.

HRF's support enables individuals to save and transact more securely and discreetly during periods of instability.

The Human Rights Foundation's latest funding round represents a strategic investment in the infrastructure of freedom. By supporting both the technical backbone of Bitcoin and the grassroots networks that teach its use, these grants aim to create a more resilient and accessible financial system for those who need it most.

The 22 selected projects illustrate a comprehensive approach: from the low-level code that prevents censorship to the community centers that build local knowledge. As these initiatives progress, they will contribute to a global ecosystem where financial autonomy is not a privilege, but a protected right, even in the most challenging political environments.