A startup led by former FanDuel execs has partnered with three Ukrainian media companies to support news reporting during the conflict.  

Vault, co-founded by Nigel Eccles and Rob Jones, plans to sell 10,000 NFT keys as part of the deal with Ukrayinska Pravda, Novoye Vremya, and Hromadske. 

If all 10,000 are sold, nearly $1 million dollars will be raised in support of the publications.

Data shows that during the early days of the conflict, Ukrayinska Pravda was the second-most popular website in Ukraine, with more than 8 million users accessing the site. 

With concerns over the spread of misinformation heightened in the wake of the conflict, Vault said the partnership aims to ensure and sustain accurate news coverage of events on the ground. 

Through the initiative, NFT keys can be purchased for $99.99 (£75) each. These can then be used to unlock a digital vault of content from each publications’ English-language coverage.  

This vault — Keys for Kyiv: Support Ukrainian Media — will provide access to curated coverage from across the publications’ teams of journalists and photographers, including photos, videos, links to stories, and recommended reads. 

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“Freedom of speech and a free press are the bedrock of democratic society. In the case of Ukrayinska Pravda, Novoye Vremya, and Hromadske, the work their journalists are doing at the moment is awe-inspiring, particularly when you consider the unbelievable pressure and stress they must be under,” said Nigel Eccles, CEO and co-founder of VAULT.

“We built VAULT first and foremost to support creators, and I can think of no better way to serve that mission than by activating our platform and our community in full support of these organizations’ efforts to fight the information war in Ukraine.”

According to Vault, supporters can buy a key with Solana directly from the platform website, or gain access directly from the Vault mobile app using Apple Pay.

Ukraine Crypto Donations Surge

The use of cryptocurrency to support Ukrainian resistance has been well publicised since the onset of the conflict. On 26th February, after Russian troops invaded, the Ukrainian Government issued a call for crypto-based donations.

As of 5th March, research from Elliptic showed more than £41.5 million in cryptocurrency had been donated to the Ukrainian Government and Ukraine-based NGOs. and donations continue to flow into Ukraine each day. 

Some of the funds raised have already been used to purchase supplies and military equipment, including bulletproof vests, according to reports last week.

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