Casper Hackathon 2026 - Qualification Round

Casper Hackathon 2026 Activity Introduction Casper Hackathon 2026 invites developers worldwide to build the next generation of decentralized applications on Casper - an enterprise-grade, proof-of-stake blockchain designed for real-world scalability and performance. Whether you're exploring DeFi protocols, NFT marketplaces, liquid staking solutions, or cross-chain interoperability, this is your opportunity to innovate on a platform that combines developer-friendly tooling with institutional-grade infrastructure. Total Prize Pool: $25,000 USD - Main Track: 1st Place: $10,000 | 2nd Place: $7,000 | 3rd Place: $3,000 - Best Interoperability App: $2,500 - Best Liquid Staking dApp: $2,500 Why Build on Casper? Casper offers a robust development environment with Rust-based smart contracts, WebAssembly execution, and seamless wallet integration via CSPR.click. The Odra framework accelerates development, while native Casper SDKs provide maximum flexibility for builders on most common platforms. What You'll Gain: - $25,000 in prizes across multiple tracks, including special awards for interoperability and liquid staking projects - Technical and marketing support from the Casper Association for all winners - Post-hackathon grants and incubation opportunities for promising projects - Community voting via CSPR.fans, giving your project and your team visibility and online/social engagement - Access to mentorship, live workshops, training sessions, and office hours with core Casper developers and ecosystem experts during weekdays Join us in building the future of Web3. Code, compete, and contribute to the Casper ecosystem. Time Schedule Qualification Round: - Kickoff: November 14, 2025 (00:00 UTC) - Submission Deadline: January 4, 2026 (23:59 UTC) - Community Voting: Opens November 14, 2025 Review Period: - January 5-6, 2026: Review of Round 1 submissions, announcement of finalists, and preparations for the Final Round Final Round: - Starts: January 7, 2026 - Submission Deadline: January 18, 2026 (23:59 UTC) - Winners Announcement: Week of January 19, 2026 Stay tuned for detailed event calendars, live workshops, and training sessions (dates and times will be announced at a later date). Tracks To align with the prize structure and key focus areas, the following tracks are established: 1. Main Track For general submissions competing for the top 3 prizes. Open to all types of projects including DeFi, NFTs, DAOs, gaming, enterprise solutions, and developer tools. 2. Interoperability Track For projects focused on cross-chain solutions, connecting Casper with other ecosystems. Build bridges, cross-chain messaging protocols, or multi-chain applications. 3. Liquid Staking Track For dApps centered on liquid staking protocols, liquid staking tokens, or incorporating Casper's native liquid staking capabilities into their application. Submission Requirements For submissions, teams must provide: - Demo video demonstrating your project and its functionality - GitHub repository link with source code - Functional prototype with core on-chain functionality on Casper Testnet (Qualification Round) or Casper Mainnet (Final Round) Track Entry: Projects may be submitted to multiple tracks if they meet eligibility for each. Event Phases and Voting The hackathon will be conducted in two distinct phases: 1. Qualification Round Open to all participants. Teams must submit a functional prototype demonstrating core on-chain functionality on the Casper Testnet. At the end of this phase: - Top 5 projects determined through on-chain community voting advance to the Final Round (Main Track) - Top 2 projects from community voting advance to finals for the Interoperability and Liquid Staking tracks - Unlimited projects endorsed by the Casper Association also advance to the Final Round Evaluation will emphasize innovation, usability, and contribution to the Casper ecosystem. Community voting will take place through the CSPR.fans app, where users can express their support and engagement for participating projects. The CSPR.fans platform will also be used to further amplify visibility for projects and their teams. 2. Final Round Finalists will further refine and enhance their projects based on feedback and technical improvements. They will compete in the Final Round, where winners will be chosen through an on-chain community vote conducted via the Casper community app (CSPR.fans). This ensures transparent and decentralized decision-making by the Casper community. Projects must generate on-chain activity on Casper Mainnet for the Final Round. Voting and Winner Selection Both rounds will leverage Casper's native governance tools to carry out verifiable, on-chain voting. This approach promotes fairness, transparency, and full traceability of results while empowering the Casper community to play a decisive role in recognizing innovation and excellence. Apart from the winners chosen by the community, the Casper Association may choose to support projects which are going to fill a fundamental gap in the ecosystem or uncover an appealing opportunity. Anti-Fraud: Measures will be in place to ensure fair voting and submission authenticity. Winners will need to pass KYC/AML to be eligible to receive the rewards. Support and Partners Organized by: Casper Network Co-sponsored by: Halborn Support Resources: - Office hours during weekdays where mentors from the Casper team and ecosystem experts will be available to answer questions - Live workshops and training sessions during the hackathon (dates and times will be announced) - Technical support channels: - Discord: Join #hackathon channel - Telegram: Casper Developers Group - Casper Community Forum - DoraHacks platform Q&A Developer Resources: All participants should review the official Casper Network Hackathon Onboarding Guide provided for this event. Quick Start Summary: 1. Set Up Your Environment: Install Rust and the necessary Casper command-line tools. 2. Get Testnet Tokens: Generate your keys and use the public faucet to get CSPR for testing (request more if needed). 3. Choose Your Path: Start building with the user-friendly Odra framework (recommended) or the native Casper Rust SDK for more control. Explore quick-start options like the Lottery App demo, CSPR.click & CSPR.cloud, or other available SDKs and starter templates. Prizes and Post-Hackathon Support In addition to the cash prizes, all winners will receive technical and marketing support from the Casper Association. The Casper Association reserves the right to support any additional projects it deems valuable, including: - Post-hackathon grants and incubation opportunities - Media exposure and promotional support - Ongoing technical mentorship - Partnership connections within the Casper ecosystem Encouragement and Vision We believe in the boundless potential of decentralized technology to transform industries, connect communities, and empower individuals. The Casper Hackathon 2026 is designed to: - Bring together global talent to create production-ready dApps - Expand Casper's reach with cross-chain and DeFi innovations - Seed a new generation of builders committed to the growth and health of the Casper ecosystem - Strengthen partnerships and foster a collaborative spirit in Web3 Official Communication Channels Stay updated on all hackathon news, partner announcements, and event reminders via: - Website: casper.network - Twitter/X: @Casper_Network - Discord: Casper Network Discord - Telegram: Casper Developers Group - Forum: Casper Community & Governance Forum Documentation & Resources: - Official Documentation: docs.casper.network - Cloud Services: docs.cspr.cloud - Odra Framework: odra.dev/docs - Testnet Explorer: testnet.cspr.live - Wallet SDK: docs.cspr.click - Onboarding Guide: Casper Network Hackathon Onboarding Guide Ready to Build? Registration is now open! Join the Casper Hackathon 2026 and help shape the future of Web3. We welcome participants from all backgrounds and skill levels. If you need help, reach out to our support team through Discord, Telegram, or forum!