Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin is collaborating with India-based crypto fund Crypto Relief and Polygon co-founder Sandeep Nailwal to donate $100 million towards COVID-19 research and the development of medical infrastructure in India. Buterin and Nailwal will receive $90 million in USD Coin (USDC) from Crypto Relief, while Buterin will contribute $10 million from his own funds. They will work together to distribute the funds.
The initiative began with the first installment being used for emergency humanitarian relief during the COVID-19 pandemic in India. Crypto Relief, described as a community-run fund, aims to provide financial relief during the pandemic.
Buterin emphasized the ongoing risks posed by COVID-19 and future pandemics, highlighting the need for a global solution combining scientific innovation and on-the-ground implementation. The research funded by the donation will focus on areas such as COVID-19 airborne transmission and Long COVID, with an aim to improve medical equipment and understand long-term symptoms.
The $100 million donation will be disbursed to a Gnosis Safe wallet. The initial donation by Buterin, made in late January 2022 or soon after, was in the form of Shiba Inu (SHIB) tokens. This recent initiative adds to Buterin’s philanthropic efforts, which include a $5 million donation in Ether (ETH) to assist Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Crypto Relief has raised $473 million in funds as of November 26, 2022, according to its website.
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