The Human Trafficking Institute (HTI) will start accepting bitcoin donations, according to a statement sent to Bitcoin Magazine. The HTI will leverage OpenNode's bitcoin payments technology to accept both on-chain and Lightning Network BTC donations. It is unclear whether the institute will hold the received bitcoin long term.
"The Human Trafficking Institute is committed to solving a global issue with support from the only currency that can be used around the world," per the statement.
The HTI works with partner countries to reduce human trafficking by establishing specialized units to enforce anti-trafficking laws, creating academies to train and equip them, and embedding experts within the teams to work cases.
"We're excited to partner with OpenNode to provide a new pathway for our donors to support our work at the Human Trafficking Institute," Victor Boutros, CEO of Human Trafficking Institute, said in the statement. "We believe in the funding potential that Bitcoin can provide for our organization as we continue our work in decimating trafficking at its source by working within criminal justice systems to prosecute traffickers."
The new donation vehicle will allow supporters to donate sound money from anywhere in the world through the permissionless and uncensorable Bitcoin network. Lightning payments will also be available, enabling instant donations at virtually no cost to empower the institution's humanitarian work of stopping traffickers and freeing victims.
"Each trafficker stopped means future victims don't have to endure the trauma of trafficking or experience the struggle of recovery," Boutros added.
OpenNode is a payment infrastructure provider that enables businesses to accept bitcoin as payment by reducing friction between traditional currencies and the Bitcoin network. The company was founded in 2018 and has since allowed merchants to benefit from instant settlement and low transaction costs made possible by the world's best monetary network.
