Wise and International Rescue Committee expand partnership to ensure immediate emergency response worldwide
New York / London, January 27, 2026 — As humanitarian needs continue to reach record highs around the world, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Wise, the global technology company, building the best way to move and manage the world's money, have announced the evolution of their partnership to respond to new emerging crises.
Initially established in May 2025, the new phase of this partnership will double Wise’s support for the IRC’s Crisis Response Fund (CRF) from £500,000 to £1 million. The CRF is a mechanism that enables quick responses as new crises emerge and ensures agility as needs evolve across ongoing ones. Last year, the IRC delivered lifesaving services for over 380,000 people through the CRF.
“The Crisis Response Fund has allowed our teams to provide immediate relief and urgent assistance to some of the least visible and most vulnerable people affected by crises worldwide. In this new era for aid, and as humanitarian needs continue to outpace available resources, partnerships with private sector organizations like Wise remain essential to power a faster, smarter and more humane response to emergencies around the world.”
“We’re proud to deepen our partnership with the IRC by doubling our commitment to its crisis response fund. As global humanitarian needs continue to grow, supporting the IRC’s rapid, evidence-led response remains an important part of how we approach social impact at Wise.”
Through the flexible funding from the CRF, in 2025 the IRC delivered services in 10 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, spanning five programming sectors: WASH, health, nutrition, education, and protection. Among others, the CRF covered responses to:
- Food insecurity in Nigeria, where 30.6 million people face crisis or worse (IPC 3+) levels;
- Intensifying conflict in Sudan, where 33.7 million people need humanitarian aid;
- Flooding in Yemen, where 4.5 million people are internally displaced;
- An emergency in Afghanistan, providing support after the arrival of millions of Afghan
- returnees; and
- The earthquake in Myanmar, which caused damages equivalent to 15% of the country’s GDP.
With Wise Account and Wise Business, people and businesses can hold 40 currencies, move money between countries and spend money abroad. Large companies and banks use Wise technology too; an entirely new network for the world's money. Launched in 2011, Wise is one of the world’s fastest growing, profitable tech companies.
In fiscal year 2025, Wise supported around 15.6 million people and businesses, processing over $185 billion in cross-border transactions and saving customers around $2.6 billion.
The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC works in more than 40 countries and in 28 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future, and strengthen their communities. Learn more at www.rescue.org and follow the IRC on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.