PayForward is a virtual hackathon for developers who want to build payment solutions that actually work for emerging markets. Whether you're tackling high fees, slow cross-border transfers, or the lack of accessible on-ramps, this is your chance to turn ideas into working demos in one focused weekend.
We're looking for builders who understand the constraints of real users—low-end devices, spotty connectivity, and local currencies—and can ship something impactful and usable.
All times are in your local timezone. The core building period is the weekend of August 29–30, with submissions due by the end of Sunday.
The prize pool is 100 USDC, allocated as follows:
Prizes reward the best overall payment solutions based on impact, usability, and demo completeness. No track-specific prizes—one winner, three runners-up.
This hackathon is individual-only: teams are limited to exactly one person. Builders from anywhere are welcome, but you must complete KYC to receive prizes. We encourage participants from emerging markets to apply—the challenge is designed around your real-world context.
Submissions must include a public repo, a demo video, and a write-up explaining the problem, solution, and how to use it.
Submissions are evaluated on three equally weighted categories:
Judges are drawn from fintech and payments experts with experience in emerging markets.
Questions? Reach the organizers on Discord or Telegram—we'll be around throughout the event.
PayForward is organized by a community of fintech builders and developers focused on financial inclusion in emerging markets.
August 21, 2026 - Building begins.
August 27, 2026 - Last chance to register as a participant.
August 30, 2026 - Final deadline to submit your project.
September 1, 2026 - Judges review the submitted projects.
Build payment solutions for the next billion users