Without wage subsidies and a bequest from a generous donor, Heart Kids would have struggled to get through the year, said Longbottom. The squeeze on traditional forms of fundraising, and a desire to attract younger donors, prompted it to investigate cryptocurrency. It was the first local charity to sign up with The Giving Block, a United States-based company, to receive donations in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Heart Kids was approached by The Giving Block head of research Michael Earley, originally from New Zealand. “Had we not had that anchor with Michael, maybe if you got a cold call you’d start worrying about the negative side of it potentially unregulated market - how do you know who your donors are?” Longbottom said.