How to Donate Bitcoin (BTC) to Charity
Giving bitcoin is simple once you know the three things that trip people up: Lightning versus on-chain, wrapped "BTC" on other networks, and fees that depend on transaction size rather than amount.
By Global Relief Group · Last updated:
Bitcoin network only
Choose the on-chain Bitcoin network. Lightning payments and wrapped BTC tokens on other networks can’t reach our bc1 address.
Fees follow size, not amount
A $50 and a $50,000 donation can cost the same to send. The fee depends on transaction size and how busy the network is.
Blocks every ~10 minutes
You can submit your transaction ID straight away. We verify the donation once it confirms on-chain.
Before you send
You need bitcoin in an exchange account that allows withdrawals to an outside address, or in a wallet you control. Our Bitcoin address starts with bc1q, which is a native SegWit address. Virtually all current wallets and exchanges can send to it; if yours rejects it, update the app or use a different wallet.
Choose your cause on our homepage, pick Bitcoin and the amount, and copy the address shown. Copy it fresh every time rather than from your transaction history.
On-chain, not Lightning
Several exchanges and apps, including Kraken, Coinbase and Binance, let you send bitcoin over the Lightning Network as well as the regular Bitcoin network. Lightning is a separate payment layer: instead of an address, the recipient gives you a one-time payment request, called an invoice. Mainnet invoices start with lnbc.
We publish an on-chain bc1 address, not a Lightning invoice, so a Lightning payment can’t be sent to us. When your exchange asks for the network, choose Bitcoin, not Lightning. Kraken, for example, asks you to choose Lightning as a separate network and then paste a Lightning request, which is a clear sign you’re on the wrong path for a donation to us.
Real bitcoin, not a wrapped token
Some exchanges list “BTC” on networks other than Bitcoin. These are tokens that represent bitcoin on another blockchain, not bitcoin itself:
- BTC on BNB Smart Chain (BEP-20), often called BTCB or Binance-Peg Bitcoin: a token on BNB Smart Chain backed by bitcoin held in reserve.
- WBTC on Ethereum (ERC-20): a token on Ethereum backed by bitcoin held by custodians.
These tokens use 0x addresses on their own networks and can’t be sent to a bc1 address; most exchanges will reject our address if you pick one of these networks. We don’t accept BTCB or WBTC. If you hold them, convert them to bitcoin first, then send on the Bitcoin network.
Step by step
From an exchange
- Open Withdraw or Send and choose BTC. Paste our
bc1qaddress and check the first and last characters against our donation screen. - Select the Bitcoin network. Not Lightning, not BEP-20, not ERC-20.
- Enter the amount and review the fee. The exchange shows its withdrawal fee and any minimum before you confirm.
- Confirm, then copy the transaction ID. It appears in your withdrawal history once the exchange broadcasts it. See where to find it in each exchange.
- Submit it on our confirmation step, with an email if you want a receipt.
From your own wallet
- Choose Send and paste our address. Check the start and end again after pasting.
- Enter the amount. If your wallet shows the amount in another currency, switch it to BTC to be sure what you’re sending.
- Choose a fee rate. Most wallets offer slow, normal and fast options in sat/vB. If you’re not in a hurry, normal is usually fine; if you want the donation confirmed today, don’t pick the lowest.
- Send, then copy the transaction ID from the transaction’s details and submit it on our confirmation step.
Bitcoin fees explained
Bitcoin fees are paid to the network, not to us, and they work differently from card fees:
- You pay for space, not value. The fee depends on the size of your transaction in bytes, quoted in satoshis per virtual byte (sat/vB). Sending more bitcoin doesn’t cost more.
- Busy network, higher fees. When many transactions compete for the next block, fees rise; when the network is quiet, they fall. Public sites such as mempool.space show the current rates.
- Your own wallet’s addresses matter. If the coins you’re spending sit on SegWit (
bc1) addresses in your own wallet, your transaction is smaller and cheaper than one spending from older addresses starting with1. - Exchanges set their own fee. It’s based on their estimate of network fees, can change, and is shown before you confirm. You don’t choose a fee rate on most exchanges.
Because the fee is roughly the same whatever the amount, very small bitcoin donations lose a bigger share to fees. Check the fee before sending a small amount; if it’s a large part of the gift, a different coin may suit better.
Confirmations and stuck transactions
New Bitcoin blocks arrive about every 10 minutes on average, though some intervals are much shorter or longer. Your transaction has an ID as soon as it’s broadcast, so you can submit it to us straight away; we verify it once it’s confirmed in a block.
If you set a low fee and the network gets busy, a transaction can wait unconfirmed for hours or longer. What you can do depends on how you sent it:
- From an exchange: the exchange manages the fee. Wait, and contact the exchange if it hasn’t confirmed after the time it quotes.
- From your own wallet, with “Bump fee” or “Speed up”: this uses Replace-by-Fee (RBF), which replaces your transaction with a copy paying a higher fee. Bitcoin Core, the most widely used node software, has accepted fee replacements for all transactions by default since version 28.0 in October 2024, but your wallet still needs to offer the option.
- From a wallet without that option: a technique called Child Pays For Parent (CPFP) lets a new transaction spending the stuck one pay a higher fee for both. Some wallets do this for you.
Don’t resend a stuck donation
Don’t send the same donation again while the first is still unconfirmed. If both confirm, you’ll have given twice. If a transaction eventually drops out of the network without confirming, the bitcoin never left your wallet. Before sending again, use your wallet’s Bump fee or Cancel option, or make sure it shows the original as cancelled, so that only one payment can confirm. Ask us if you’re unsure what happened: contact us with the transaction ID.
Tax: US donors
Bitcoin is often the coin donors have held longest, which is where giving it directly can matter most. The IRS treats bitcoin as property, and its rules for donating a digital asset are:
- Held more than a year: your deduction is generally the fair market value on the day you give it.
- Held a year or less: it is generally the lower of what you paid and the fair market value.
- Claiming more than $5,000 for crypto gifts in a year (similar gifts are added together) generally needs a qualified appraisal, and the charity signs Section B of your Form 8283.
Under general US rules for gifts of long-term appreciated property, giving the bitcoin itself is not treated as a sale, so you generally don’t pay capital gains tax on the increase in value as you would if you sold first and donated the cash.
Your receipt from Global Relief Group (EIN 27-3281810) records the coin and quantity received. This is general information, not tax advice: check with a qualified tax adviser. Our US crypto donation tax guide goes into more detail.
Common questions
Can I donate bitcoin over the Lightning Network?
Not at the moment. We accept bitcoin on the Bitcoin network only, at a bc1 address. Lightning payments need an invoice, which our donation flow doesn’t create, so choose the Bitcoin network when you send.
My exchange offers BTC on BEP-20. Can I use that?
No. BTC on BEP-20 is a token on BNB Smart Chain, not bitcoin. Choose the Bitcoin network; if your exchange only has BTC on another network, convert it or give a different coin.
Can any wallet send to a bc1 address?
Virtually all current wallets and exchanges can. If an older wallet rejects the address, update it or use another wallet; don’t try to convert our address into a different format.
How long until my donation shows as confirmed?
Once the transaction is in a block, which takes about 10 minutes on average and longer when fees are low and the network is busy, our team verifies it on-chain and emails your receipt if you gave an email address.
I sent bitcoin but chose a very low fee. Is my donation lost?
No. It’s waiting in line. Either it confirms when fees fall, or you can speed it up if your wallet offers Bump fee or CPFP. If it never confirms, the bitcoin stays in your wallet.