Ripple has pledged $300,000 in emergency assistance to support communities devastated by catastrophic flooding across Nepal and Tibet. The contribution, announced on August 28, will go to World Central Kitchen and Mercy Corps to deliver hot meals, safe drinking water and sanitation services in areas where transport links and basic infrastructure have been destroyed.

Scale of the Disaster

The floods were set off by the collapse of glacial material near the Nepal-China border around August 26. An ice-rock avalanche is believed to have temporarily blocked a river before releasing a powerful surge downstream. The waters tore through valleys along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river corridors, striking Nepal’s Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts and the Gyirong border port in Tibet.

By August 29, authorities confirmed at least 669 deaths in Nepal and seven more in Tibet. Nearly 3,000 people remained missing. Officials in Nepal have estimated reconstruction costs could reach $5 billion. Roads, bridges, power lines, communications networks and homes were swept away, severely hampering rescue and supply operations.

UNICEF reported that at least 17,000 children in Nepal have been affected. Eighteen schools were destroyed and another 20 damaged. The agency is seeking $17.2 million to address urgent needs in health, nutrition, water, sanitation, education and child protection.

How the Funds Will Be Used

World Central Kitchen has activated local restaurant partners in Rasuwa and Nuwakot to prepare and distribute hot meals to survivors. The organization is expanding these operations while traditional supply routes remain blocked.

Mercy Corps, which has more than two decades of experience in Nepal, is working with local authorities and other humanitarian groups. Its teams are assessing immediate requirements and focusing on restoring water and sanitation systems as well as supporting longer-term recovery for displaced families.

The company has not disclosed how the $300,000 will be divided between the two organizations or the precise timeline for disbursement. Both groups have been named as the primary channels for delivering the priority services of meals, clean water and hygiene support.

Building on Existing Partnerships

The latest contribution continues Ripple’s established relationships with both aid groups. The firm previously supported relief efforts after the 2023 earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, working with the same organizations. World Central Kitchen and Mercy Corps have also explored the use of Ripple Payments and the RLUSD stablecoin to move humanitarian funds more quickly across borders.

In an earlier pilot with Mercy Corps Ventures in Kenya, Ripple tested an RLUSD-based drought-response mechanism that used satellite data and smart contracts to trigger automated payments to pastoralists when vegetation conditions deteriorated. Although favorable weather meant no payouts were activated, the project illustrated how blockchain tools can speed assistance in regions with limited traditional banking access.

Ripple’s broader philanthropic activity through its Impact initiative has exceeded $250 million since 2018, including more than $70 million in 2025. The company has positioned its payment infrastructure and stablecoin as practical options for aid organizations operating in disrupted environments.

Rescue and recovery work continues across the affected valleys as teams contend with unstable terrain and the risk of further secondary disasters. Humanitarian agencies remain focused on meeting immediate needs for food, water and sanitation while planning for the extensive reconstruction that lies ahead.