Cryptocurrency is gaining in popularity and new users are using it every day. It is often used as a way for people to transact among themselves without the restrictions that come with fiat money or banking.
However, a new wave of charity-oriented cryptocurrencies is allowing people to give back while still letting them take advantage of the benefits of using cryptocurrency.
ApeHaven is turning cryptocurrency into real-world bananas and medicine for great apes in need.
ApeHaven is a charitable cryptocurrency built on the Ethereum blockchain and is traded on the Uniswap decentralized platform.
Every transaction of $APES on Uniswap is held back with a percentage of that placed into a charity fund to be used for donations to wildlife preservation.
ApeHaven has partnered with the Center for Great Apes and has already donated $50,000 to that non-profit organization.
The Center for Great Apes will use these funds to help support more than 50 resident orangutans and chimpanzees.
Drew Roberts is the lead developer and public face of the ApeHaven project. Roberts is well known for launching Saturday Down South, a college football-focused news site.
The Center for Great Apes is located outside of Orlando, and Roberts plans on visiting the Center for Great Apes for a live stream on social media in the coming weeks.
“We start with the great apes in mind and work backward,” said Roberts. “We believe we’ve created a superior code that can and will benefit some of the most majestic, and endangered, animals on the planet. We hope that our code is a future example in this industry of doing well by doing good.”
ApeHaven has plans to partner with additional ape and wildlife sanctuaries as well as other animal-related non-profit organizations.
One of their goals is more mainstream adoption of cryptocurrency and they believe non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are a great way for an inexperienced user to onramp to cryptocurrency.
An NFT is a unique digital token, similar to a trading card or dollar bill with a distinct serial number.
ApeHaven plans to create NFTs to help people “adopt an ape.” They also plan to allow NFT holders to have a video call with their adopted ape or be able to travel to a partnered sanctuary for a private visit to learn more about and meet their adopted ape.
“It’s a new world, but $50,000 to support the great apes is no monkey business,” said Roberts who moved forward to make weekly contributions.
In an email, Diane Beatty, the director of Donor Relations for the Center for Great Apes, confirmed the $25,000 and thanked ApeHaven.
“We are most grateful for this generous support in helping the Center provide care for the 58 resident orangutans and chimpanzees,” she wrote.
Reach Ed Dean at ed.dean@floridadaily.com.
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