TRF and Human Rights Foundation Join Cornell University in Groundbreaking Research on Bitcoin and Financial Freedom

The Reynolds Foundation (TRF), in collaboration with the Human Rights Foundation (HRF), is proud to contribute to the landmark study The Technology Behind Financial Freedom: Evidence from a 25-Country Bitcoin Study, conducted by researchers at Cornell University.

This pioneering research, led by Professor Sarah Kreps and Ella Hough, examines the adoption, use, and barriers of bitcoin across 25 countries and more than 25,000 respondents. The findings shed light on how digital currencies are reshaping financial agency worldwide—offering alternatives to fragile currencies, enabling cross-border transactions, and expanding individual autonomy in contexts where access to financial services remains limited.

By supporting this study, TRF and HRF reaffirm their shared commitment to defending freedom, empowering individuals, and expanding access to tools that strengthen open societies. The research highlights both the opportunities and challenges of bitcoin adoption, underscoring its role as an emerging infrastructure for financial freedom in diverse political and economic contexts.

“Freedom begins with agency—the ability of individuals to control their own future. This research offers critical evidence on how technology, when used wisely, can strengthen that agency and expand the conditions for sustainable freedom worldwide,” said Álvaro Salas-Castro, President and CEO of TRF.

Through this collaboration, TRF and HRF contribute to a growing body of knowledge at the intersection of technology, democracy, and human rights, ensuring that global debates on financial freedom are grounded in data and in the lived experiences of people worldwide.