Call for Papers
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Call for Papers
Engage in building new knowledge
The Call for Papers grant program is currently closed.
About the Program
The Interledger Foundation Call for Papers is a grant program inviting original research contributions on digital financial access and payment interoperability. We seek to build a comprehensive body of knowledge to foster open, interoperable financial systems, address barriers to financial access, and support the growth of inclusive digital economies.
Financial exclusion remains a pressing global challenge despite substantial advancements in digital finance. Worldwide, 1.3 billion people lack access to affordable, secure, and interoperable financial services, hindering economic participation. The Interledger Foundation contends that Open Payment standards, regulatory frameworks, and inclusive financial innovation are critical to dismantling systemic barriers and facilitating seamless cross-border transactions.
Program Objectives
This initiative aims explicitly to advance research in:
- Interledger Open Payments Standards
- Digital Financial Access.
- Interoperability across financial systems
- Regulatory and policy innovations for interoperable payment systems
Award
Authors of selected papers received $5,000 USD in compensation. For co-authored papers, the amount was divided equally among all co-authors.
About the Call for Proposals
While financial access has expanded in recent years, significant barriers remain. This call seeks research examining the societal, technological, and policy aspects of financial access. Selected authors will be invited to develop full-length papers.
Key Themes
Submissions should align with one of the following themes:
- Understanding Financial Access Definitions, measurement frameworks, case studies, and rights-based approaches
- Key Actors and Incentives: Roles of financial institutions, intermediaries, community agents, and regulatory bodies
- Regulatory and Policy Dimensions: Financial regulation, data protection, consumer protection, competition, and compliance
- Technology and Interoperability: Cross-border standards, AI and disruptive tech, settlement and routing strategies
Research on the Interledger Protocol or the Open Payments Standard is particularly welcome.
What You Need to Know
The call is open to researchers worldwide. To foster a more inclusive global conversation, we strongly encourage contributions from researchers in underrepresented groups and scholars from the Global South.
Eligible participants include:
- Independent researchers and unaffiliated scholars
- Faculty members at accredited institutions
- University-affiliated research centers and academic institutions
- Qualified practitioners with demonstrated research experience
- Early-career researchers and PhD candidates
We invite submissions from a wide range of fields, including Finance, Computer Science, Economics, Law, Political Science, and other Social Sciences. We also welcome insights from unrelated disciplines that can enhance the overall discussion.
The Interledger Foundation welcomes applications and has granted organizations worldwide. However, as a US-registered NGO, ILF cannot support entities or persons registered in territories subject to US sanctions.
Basic Requirements:
- Applicants must be 18 years or older
- Must agree to the ILF Participation Guidelines
- Must support compliance with relevant U.S. laws and OFAC regulations
- Must have no conflicts of interest
- Only one proposal per applicant may be submitted
Submissions may be based on empirical or theoretical research. The submitted abstract must align with the researcher's expertise and may include co-authored work that provides interdisciplinary insights from diverse academic and professional fields. Submissions that offer interdisciplinary perspectives, innovative methodologies, or critical insights into the dynamics of financial access and interoperability are strongly encouraged.
The Call for Papers grant program is currently closed and will open in the third quarter of 2026.
If you have questions, please contact the Interledger Foundation's programs team, join the Call for Papers Slack channel, or review the Grant Application Guide.
Depending on funding and organizational priorities, we expect the Call for Papers program to reopen in 2026. Stay connected for updates by joining our newsletter.