Governments Can’t Track Spending, Blockchain Can Help

Every year, billions of taxpayer dollars move through the hands of government agencies at the local, state, and federal levels. These funds are meant to deliver critical services, promote development, and improve quality of life. Yet, time and again, one painful truth emerges: governments do a poor job of tracking and managing public money.

Fragmented systems, legacy technologies, and bureaucratic silos prevent even internal oversight bodies from knowing how funds are allocated, spent, or whether they’re achieving the intended outcomes. As a result, public trust erodes, inefficiencies persist, and in many cases, resources are wasted or misused.

The Government Blockchain Association (GBA) is tackling this issue head-on. We are launching a research-driven initiative to study how blockchain technology—with its transparency, immutability, and real-time data-sharing capabilities—can help governments better track, report, and manage public spending.

Real Problems in Real Places

This initiative is not theoretical. Governments across the country are already facing major challenges that blockchain could help address:

• U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) – DOGE has pioneered the use of data analytics to track federal spending across programs. Despite these efforts, it still encounters systemic disconnects between what agencies report and what Treasury records show. There is no unified, authoritative source for real-time, program-level spending data—a problem blockchain is well-suited to solve.
• Department of Defense – The Pentagon has failed its audit for six consecutive years, unable to account for trillions in assets and liabilities. Even with intense scrutiny, the Defense Department cannot trace enough financial data to produce a full accounting. Blockchain could provide the consistent, verifiable ledger needed to improve audit outcomes and fiscal accountability.
• USAID – In 2025, USAID saw an unprecedented 85% cut to its programs—a direct result of years of opaque funding practices and an inability to clearly tie appropriations to evidence-based outcomes. A blockchain-based system could have made program-level spending fully visible, enabling oversight from Congress, the GAO, and the public, and potentially preventing the dismantling of a 60-year-old agency.
• Utah County, Utah – Facing one of the fastest-growing populations in the state, Utah County’s Health Department is running a deficit. Commissioner Amelia Powers Gardner sought to understand the funding makeup of 23 different programs—grants, tax dollars, service fees—but could not trace revenue sources to expenditures. Blockchain could give counties like hers the ability to follow every dollar from source to service.
• City of Miami Tree Trust Fund – Miami created a fund to support tree planting efforts as part of its climate resilience goals. However, a lack of financial transparency and shifting fund use have created public frustration. A blockchain pilot to track these funds in real time could restore trust, improve community coordination, and serve as a model for local government finance.

The GBA Blockchain Budget Transparency Project

These examples make one thing clear: the status quo is not sustainable. Governments need tools that enable transparent, accountable, and auditable financial management. Blockchain provides those tools—but widespread adoption requires education, experimentation, and collaboration.

That’s why the Government Blockchain Association is launching a project to study and publish recommendations on how blockchain can be implemented to improve government budget transparency.

We Need Your Help

This is a collaborative effort, and we’re calling on experts, technologists, funders, and communicators to help move this vision forward. You can support the project in one of the following ways:

1. Contribute to the research and writing of the report – If you have expertise in government finance, blockchain technology, or public administration, we welcome your insights.
2. Propose or build blockchain-based solutions – Developers and innovators are invited to present tools and platforms that demonstrate how blockchain can be applied to public spending.
3. Provide financial support for the initiative – Help us fund the research, outreach, and coordination necessary to deliver a high-impact, actionable report.
4. Help share the final report with decision-makers – Whether you work in government, media, academia, or advocacy, your voice can help ensure that this information reaches the people who need it most.

Join Us in Building Trust Through Transparency

Public trust is earned through accountability. By reimagining how we track and report public spending, we can make government not only more efficient but more responsive to the people it serves.

If you’re ready to be part of the solution, contact us at support@GBAglobal.org. Together, we can help governments build a future where every dollar is visible, verifiable, and responsibly spent.