Ripple donates $100K worth of XRP to California wildfire relief efforts

Ripple has stepped forward to help victims of the California wildfire tragedy, donating $100,000 in its native XRP token.

The contribution, made through The Giving Block, will support the on-the-ground relief efforts of nonprofits World Central Kitchen (WCK) and GiveDirectly.

Crypto community joins fight against wildfires

Vibe announced contribution in a Jan. 14 social media post, indicating that President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead NASA, Jared Isaacman, will match his donation.

Isaacman, through his company Shift4, launched a fundraiser in collaboration with The Giving Block, a platform that facilitates cryptocurrency-based philanthropy. The goal is to raise $2 million to aid wildfire relief efforts. By January 13, the initiative had raised over $25,000 from over 100 crypto contributions.

Ripple is the first major corporate donor to support the effort, and its donation came just days after it partnered with MoonPay to contribute another $50,000 to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation. This nonprofit organization supports Los Angeles firefighters by providing them with tools, equipment, and resources that are not covered by the city budget.

His donation comes as XRP emerges as the best-performing cryptocurrency in the top 50 by market cap. The token’s current price of $2.86 means it is just 15.5% away from its all-time high of $3.40, reached in January 2018.

A crisis of unprecedented scale

California is grappling with devastating wildfires fueled by extreme drought conditions and powerful Santa Ana winds. The situation has forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate as fires that started in early January continue to rage.

Tragically, reports indicate that at least 24 people have lost their lives and countless homes have been destroyed.

Fires have broken out in the Palisades, Eaton, Sylmar and Ventura areas of Los Angeles, destroying up to 40,000 acres and leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

While the Hurst Fire has largely been contained, the Palisades inferno is still raging, with experts estimating economic losses topping $50 billion.

The crypto community has a history of coming together to support disaster victims. In 2023, they increase funds for victims of the Maui fires, and Ripple contributed $100,000. A year later, the community donated more money to help people affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. On that occasion, Isaacman supposedly paired the first $475,000 raised dollar for dollar.