Spanish Red Cross Launches Ethereum‑Powered Aid Platform to Safeguard Beneficiary Privacy
The Catalan branch of the International Red Cross has introduced a blockchain‑based system that leverages zero‑knowledge proofs and ERC‑20 tokens to provide transparent yet confidential humanitarian assistance.
MADRID, Feb. 3, 2026 – Creu Roja, the Spanish affiliate of the International Red Cross, announced the deployment of a new digital aid distribution platform that runs on the Ethereum public blockchain. The solution, built in partnership with Barcelona‑based tech firm BLOOCK, replaces traditional paper‑based processes with cryptographically secured digital credits, offering donors verifiable impact while keeping recipients’ identities hidden.
How the system works
- Zero‑knowledge verification – The platform uses zero‑knowledge (ZK) proofs to confirm that a donation has been allocated to a qualified beneficiary without revealing who that beneficiary is. This cryptographic technique allows the network to attest to the existence of a transaction while preserving privacy.
- ERC‑20 aid credits – Approved aid is minted as standard ERC‑20 tokens and deposited into a mobile wallet app developed on the Ionic framework. Recipients can redeem these tokens at participating merchants by scanning QR codes.
- Digital workflow – Front‑end administrative tools built with Angular enable aid managers to issue and track credits, while a Go‑based backend and RESTful API handle the core business logic.
- On‑chain anchoring, off‑chain data – BLOOCK’s smart contracts anchor the ZK proofs on Ethereum, but no personally identifiable information is stored on the ledger, mitigating the risk of data exposure inherent to public blockchains.
“Beneficiaries should never have to sacrifice privacy to receive help,” said Francisco López Romero, Creu Roja’s CTO for Catalonia. “Our architecture lets donors see that their contributions are being used, yet the identities of those receiving assistance remain confidential.”
Why Ethereum?
Lluís Llibre, CEO of BLOOCK, explained the network choice: Ethereum is the most battle‑tested public blockchain with a proven security record, making it a trustworthy “certification layer” for humanitarian operations. By anchoring proofs on Ethereum, Creu Roja can rely on a widely recognized infrastructure without having to maintain its own blockchain node network.
The ERC‑20 tokens are initially redeemable at a regional supermarket chain, with plans to expand to additional merchants once operational stability is demonstrated.
Broader implications
The initiative marks one of the first large‑scale humanitarian deployments of zero‑knowledge technology on a public blockchain. It illustrates a growing trend where NGOs adopt decentralized tools to address two perennial challenges: transparency for donors and privacy for vulnerable populations.
Potential benefits
- Enhanced donor confidence – Real‑time, immutable verification that funds reach intended recipients.
- Reduced administrative overhead – Automation of credit issuance and redemption cuts reliance on paper records and manual reconciliation.
- Scalable privacy – ZK proofs can be extended to other use‑cases, such as identity verification for refugees or disaster victims, without exposing personal data.
Risks and considerations
- Transaction costs – Even with Layer‑2 solutions, gas fees on Ethereum can fluctuate, potentially affecting the cost efficiency of token distribution.
- Adoption barriers – Beneficiaries must have compatible smartphones and a basic level of digital literacy to use the wallet app.
- Regulatory oversight – Issuing fungible tokens that function as aid credits may attract scrutiny from financial regulators concerned with anti‑money‑laundering (AML) and know‑your‑customer (KYC) compliance.
Key takeaways
- Innovative privacy – Creu Roja’s platform uses zero‑knowledge proofs to verify aid allocation while keeping recipient identities off‑chain.
- Ethereum as trust layer – The decision to anchor proofs on Ethereum leverages its security and public perception, allowing NGOs to focus on service delivery rather than blockchain maintenance.
- Tokenized aid credits – ERC‑20 tokens enable seamless, digital disbursement and redemption through QR codes at vetted merchants.
- Technology stack – Backend in Go with a REST API, Angular for admin/merchant portals, and Ionic for the mobile wallet.
- Scalability prospects – Successful pilot with a supermarket chain could pave the way for broader adoption across Spain and potentially other countries.
As the humanitarian sector explores blockchain solutions, Creu Roja’s Ethereum‑based platform could serve as a model for balancing transparency with the privacy needs of those it serves. Continued monitoring will reveal whether the technology can overcome cost and adoption hurdles to become a mainstream tool for aid distribution.
Source: https://thedefiant.io/news/infrastructure/spanish-red-cross-taps-ethereum-zk-proofs-for-data-privacy
