UNDP Advances Blockchain Infrastructure with 42 Use Cases in Payments, Climate, and Digital Identity

On March 28, a new report by Cointelegraph Research revealed that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is leveraging blockchain technology for the construction of public digital infrastructure, focusing on addressing issues of transparency, collaborative efficiency, and trusted data sharing within government systems. The report, titled “New Tech, New Partners,” outlines 42 practical use cases spanning areas such as digital payments, financial inclusion, climate finance, data governance, and community investment. Notably, seven of these cases concentrate on digital identity and data systems, primarily implemented in developing economies across Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Eastern Europe. The research highlights the UNDP’s approach of “pilot-validate-scale,” where small-scale projects are initiated through collaborations with governments, developers, and local enterprises, and then gradually expanded based on their actual effectiveness. The report also emphasizes a “platform-agnostic” architecture to maintain system openness and interoperability. Furthermore, the report underscores the importance of governance and risk control, stating that the application of blockchain in public systems requires accompanying privacy protection, regulatory frameworks, and auditing mechanisms to prevent data misuse and smart contract risks. Overall, blockchain technology is extending beyond financial scenarios into public governance infrastructure, becoming one of the key technological options for national digital transformation.