UNDP AltFinLab

The UNDP Alternative Finance Lab (AltFinLab) is a global initiative that connects finance, innovation, and emerging technologies — from blockchain and AI to digital payments and crowdfunding — to explore, test, and scale new approaches for sustainable development, working across governments, private sector partners, international organizations, and civil society to address the SDG financing gap. Operating through four core pillars — partnerships, research and intelligence, capabilities and networks, and acceleration and scale — AltFinLab acts as both enabler and convener, translating promising ideas into real-world adoption through flagship programmes including the Blockchain Academy (1,000+ trained participants from 130+ countries), the SDG Blockchain Accelerator, a Digital Payments Portfolio active in 20+ countries, the Crowdfunding Academy ($17M raised by 700+ NGOs in 34 countries), the Tadamon platform serving civil society across the Muslim world, the Government Blockchain Academy, and a UN Blockchain Community of Practice with 1,700+ members — all backed by strategic partners such as the Stellar Development Foundation, Algorand Foundation, Cardano Foundation, Blockchain for Good Alliance, Sui Foundation, FLock.io, and the Islamic Development Bank, and collectively supporting 120+ UNDP Country Offices across 50 blockchain use cases and pilots.