Bitcoin investors and users have now donated $22 million worth of the cryptocurrency to a charitable trust run by mutual fund giant Fidelity Investments so far in 2017.
According to new figures released by the company, Fidelity Charitable saw donations worth $11 million through November, a figure that has doubled since the start of the month, CNBC reports.
Matt Nash, senior vice president of donor engagement at Fidelity Charitable, credited the uptick to the “giving season” as well as the tax advantages of the donations, stating:
“People are getting smarter about donating appreciated assets, and bitcoin is the epitome of appreciated assets this year.”
The charity utilizes Coinbase’s payment processor tools to handle bitcoin-to-dollar conversions, and the converted cash is then deposited to the patrons’ “donor-advised funds.”
The report also hints at the psychology behind the giving, as cryptocurrency holders in the U.S. are required to pay a “capital gains taxes” in case they plan to cash it out. Donating to charitable organizations, however, allows them to avoid those taxes.
The charity is accepting bitcoin donations until Dec. 22, it added.
Overall, the growth suggests a continued interest in the program, which Fidelity launched in Nov. 2015. (Fidelity Charitable raised $7 million in bitcoin as donations last year.)
Small change image via Shutterstock
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