Crypto Donations for Myanmar and Thailand Earthquake Relief – How to Help Now

^{The 7.7-magnitude earthquake this afternoon toppled buildings in Myanmar’s second-largest city and brought down a skyscraper under construction in Bangkok. (Image: Free Malaysia Today)}

On March 28, 2025, a catastrophic 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar near Mandalay, with tremors felt more than 600 miles away in Bangkok, Thailand. So far, 1,644 people have died in Myanmar and 2,376 have been injured, while Thailand has reported 6 deaths and 26 injuries. The United States Geological Survey warns the death toll could rise above 10,000, as search teams attempt to locate dozens of people still buried in the rubble of collapsed buildings—including a Bangkok high-rise.

“It was probably the biggest earthquake on the Myanmar mainland in three-quarters of a century.”
— Bill McGuire, Emeritus Professor of Geophysical & Climate Hazards, University College London

The quake triggered 77 aftershocks, severed power lines, and ripped open massive ground fissures across the region. But this devastating natural event struck a nation already facing extraordinary levels of conflict, displacement, and humanitarian collapse.

Why Myanmar’s Territorial Control Crisis Makes Earthquake Relief Even Harder

Myanmar’s ruling military junta, in power since the 2021 coup, is rapidly losing its grip. The junta now admits it has lost control of over a third of the country. Independent analysts estimate it holds just 72 of 330 townships, mostly in urban centers—while large swaths of rural Myanmar are governed by opposition forces and ethnic militias.

Humanitarian Crisis

• 3.3 million people are currently displaced, according to the United Nations.
  
  
• Military tactics include airstrikes on civilian areas and blocking humanitarian aid from reaching opposition-held zones.
  
  
• Hospitals and clinics have been destroyed, and access to clean water, food, and basic healthcare is limited or nonexistent in many regions.
  

“This is a historic earthquake in a country that has long had a history of adversity — where millions were already displaced and tens of millions were already in need of humanitarian aid — making the consequences of this disaster even more catastrophic.”
— Arlan Fuller, Director of Emergency Response, Project HOPE

Medical Emergency Amid Collapsing Infrastructure

Myanmar hasn’t seen an earthquake of this scale since 1956, and the country lacks modern building codes that require earthquake-resistant structures. With hospitals overwhelmed or destroyed, and travel corridors blocked, the ability to deliver emergency trauma care is dangerously constrained.

“Given the scale and intensity of the earthquake, the impact on people could be devastating, particularly for those who require immediate lifesaving assistance due to trauma injuries. We’re also concerned about those who will be vulnerable after losing shelter, access to general health care, and safe drinking water, which is crucial to control the possible spread of waterborne diseases.”
— Paul Brockmann, MSF Operations Manager for Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Malaysia

Why Crypto Is Emerging as a Lifeline

In a setting where traditional banking, infrastructure, and political will are failing, crypto donations are providing a new model for humanitarian response:

• Borderless & censorship-resistant
  
  
• On-chain transparency and traceability
  
  
• Instant, low-fee transactions
  
  
• Compatible with decentralized identity (DID) models for direct aid

As roadblocks mount and the humanitarian gap widens, crypto is not just a fast alternative—it’s becoming an essential tool for getting help to where it’s needed most.

CZ’s Crypto Pledge: A New Standard for Transparent Aid

In the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, co-founder of Binance, pledged to donate 1,000 BNB (valued at approximately $630,000)—split evenly between Myanmar and Thailand. While the donation has not yet been deployed, CZ is actively exploring the most transparent and effective mechanism for distribution, with a strong emphasis on leveraging blockchain technology for humanitarian impact.

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CZ is advocating for the use of Decentralized Identity (DID) systems to power transparent, direct aid distribution. A DID is a cryptographically secure, globally unique identifier that enables individuals to verify their identity without relying on centralized authorities. In practice, this means a refugee or displaced person without documentation could receive aid using a blockchain-verified credential issued by an NGO. It bypasses traditional bureaucracy, enabling faster, more equitable support in crisis zones. This system would be especially critical in conflict zones like Myanmar, where government-controlled checkpoints and lack of documentation often block access to aid.

However, Myanmar’s digital infrastructure presents serious challenges to this model. The country suffers from frequent internet shutdowns, bandwidth restrictions, and social media blocks, all worsened by a government-imposed ban on VPNs. These constraints limit the ability of citizens, aid workers, and humanitarian organizations to access decentralized tools and communicate reliably—raising the stakes for any DID-based solution.

Still, the long-term potential remains clear: infrastructure-agnostic, verifiable identity systems could radically improve aid access in regions with fractured governance and limited trust in central systems.

Related: How blockchain-based identification can help refugees and underserved communities (Crypto Altruism)

If a DID-based solution is not available, Binance and Binance Thailand will oversee the distribution of CZ’s pledged 1,000 BNB—though transparency concerns may remain when centralized entities manage large-scale relief efforts.

Givepact’s Role: Crypto Giving with Impact and Integrity

At Givepact, we make it easy for crypto holders to contribute to vetted humanitarian organizations—with full on-chain transparency, instant settlements, and tax efficiency.

We believe that blockchain-powered giving is uniquely suited to crises like the Myanmar-Thailand earthquake, where traditional infrastructure is compromised and trust in centralized systems is low.

•  Give globally. Track transparently. Impact immediately.

Whether you're donating ETH, BTC, BNB, or stablecoins, your support helps fund emergency trauma care, medical supply chains, shelter, food security, clean water access, and child protection.

Nonprofits Responding on the Ground in Myanmar and Thailand

These organizations are delivering lifesaving relief in Myanmar and Thailand. You can support them directly with crypto through Givepact or recommend them for listing:

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) — Working in Myanmar and Thailand are safe and accounted for.

Project HOPE- Deploying medical teams and supplies with WHO-certified partners. Focused on trauma care, medicine, and health worker deployment.

Americares - Sending an emergency team to Thailand and raising funds via its Myanmar-Thailand Earthquake Fund.

National Humanitarian Fundraising for Myanmar- U.S.-based nonprofit offering immediate and long-term relief for displaced communities in Myanmar.

Save the Children- Providing food, water, shelter, and emotional support. Assessing damage to schools and refugee camps.

UNICEF- Delivering urgent services for children, including water, sanitation, education, and shelter. The United Nations Myanmar Humanitarian Fund allocated an initial $5 million for urgent needs.

Center for Disaster Philanthropy- Monitoring the crisis and coordinating donor support for long-term recovery.

Givepact: Donate Crypto with Confidence

At Givepact, we make it easy to give crypto to vetted nonprofits responding to global emergencies. Our platform provides:

• 📊 On-chain donation tracking
  
  
• 💸 Lower transaction fees
  
  
• 🧾 Tax-efficient giving options
  
  
• 🌍 Support for any U.S.-based nonprofit
  

Whether you’re giving in ETH, BTC, BUSD (Binance's stable coin), or stablecoins, your donation moves instantly and transparently—exactly when and where it’s needed most.

Tokens Givepact accepts

Donate Crypto Now to Help Earthquake Survivors

Your crypto can deliver emergency care, food, water, and shelter to families devastated by this historic disaster. With traditional aid routes blocked and millions already in crisis, blockchain-powered giving is no longer just an alternative—it’s a lifeline.

👉 Donate Crypto Now on Givepact

Whether you give BNB like CZ or stablecoins like USDC, your support is tracked transparently, moves instantly, and saves lives.