Add as a preferred source on GoogleRipple Wins Best Initiative in Financial Inclusion & ESG at 2026 PAY360 Awards
A Kenyan drought-aid partnership uses RLUSD, satellite readings and smart contracts to trigger payments through M-Pesa.
Ripple won the Best Initiative in Financial Inclusion & ESG category at the 2026 PAY360 Awards, a category spanning financial access and environmental, social and governance work.
The ceremony took place Oct. 7 at Grosvenor House Hotel in London and marked 20 years of the awards.
Separately, a partnership involving Ripple, Mercy Corps Ventures, DIVA Donate and Fortune Credit uses Ripple USD (RLUSD), Ripple’s dollar-backed stablecoin, in a Kenyan drought-aid pilot. Satellite readings of vegetation are used to assess drought risk. When readings fall below a set threshold, smart contracts release RLUSD, and households receive aid through M-Pesa, a mobile money service.
The pilot recorded a 95% reduction in payment settlement time and a 64% decline in transaction costs. Eighty-five percent of participants reported reduced financial stress. RLUSD is used for conditional settlement, while M-Pesa delivers aid to households.
John Kim
John Kim reports on the digital-asset business for TokenPost. Send corrections or tips to info@tokenpost.com.