FAQs

  • Registered corporations
  • Non-government entities, institutions, collectives
  • Nonprofits

 

Focus areas:

  • Becoming a financial node within the Interledger Network
  • Expanding payment options on an existing web-based platform

There are no open opportunities at this time. The next cycle will open in July 2025. Download and review the 2025 Grant Application Guidelines for details on the grant eligibility and requirements.

 

The 2025 July Grant Application Guideline and Submittable link will be made public when applications open.

Projects must run for 12 months.

For projects that establish a new node on the Interledger Network or expand payment options for web-based platforms, funds can support:

 

  • Technical development & integration
  • Platform expansion & user adoption
  • Advancing financial inclusion through open payments

The next grant cycle will launch in July 2025. Sign up for the ILF Newsletter for notifications when the next grant opportunity opens.

  • Public and private (two to four-year institutions)
  • Institutional systems or consortia of institutions
  • University-affiliated research centers or laboratories

 

Submissions from diverse faculty teams are strongly encouraged. Applying universities must align the proposed initiative with their undergraduate or graduate departments of computer science, information technology, business, sustainable development, or related fields.

  • Enable Faculty Initiatives: Implement forward-thinking programs that promote digital financial literacy and inclusion.
  • Increase Student Engagement: Enhance student interaction with open-payment technologies and digital financial inclusion, with a focus on the Interledger Protocol.
  • Showcase Career Pathways: Highlight careers in open payments, open-source development, sustainable development, and fintech.
  • Download and read the 2025 Grant Application Guidelines.
  • Submit a Letter of Intent via the online platform, Submittable.
  • Applications need to be in before October 3, 2025 at 11:59 pm (ET).
  • Note: ONLY LOIs received via Submittable will be considered.

We fund rigorous, independent research and analysis to provide actionable insights to policymakers. We share all funded research, and we ensure our policy recommendations are grounded in data and aligned with the needs of the communities we serve.

Through partnerships, programs, and grantmaking, we amplify local voices, build capacity, and share insights to inform policy development at national, regional, and global levels.

As the rapporteur for the UN Internet Governance Forum Dynamic Coalition on Digital Financial Inclusion, we lead a global working group advancing discussions on equitable financial access through interoperable payment technologies.

We foster dialogue between policymakers, legislators, and the Interledger community on fit-for-purpose regulatory approaches to digital finance.

We advocate for policies that harness technology's potential while addressing challenges like privacy and data protection, cybersecurity, and equitable access to financial systems.

By enabling equitable access to financial infrastructure, the Interledger Foundation empowers underserved communities to overcome barriers to economic participation. Our grantmaking supports projects that develop and extend access to affordable financial tools, creating pathways out of poverty and enhancing economic resilience.

We promote sustainable economic opportunities by funding innovative technologies, capacity-building programs, and Ambassadorships that drive job creation and entrepreneurship. Through partnerships, we help communities access the tools and knowledge needed to build thriving, inclusive economies.

The Interledger Foundation supports the development of resilient digital public infrastructure, fostering innovation and adaptability in financial systems. By advancing open Interledger technologies, we enable scalable, interoperable solutions that strengthen the foundation for equitable and sustainable global economic growth.

Our efforts prioritize reducing disparities in access to financial systems, particularly for underrepresented groups. By supporting interoperable payment systems and fostering local capacity, we work to bridge economic gaps and ensure that financial technologies benefit all segments of society.

No, participation is free.

Anyone over 18 years old who wants to learn more about Open Payments and loves to build and tinker is welcome to register.

  • Sure, teams of 1 to 4 people can register before the event or you can form a team on the day of the event.
  • You will be invited to the Interledger community Slack channel to make connections before the event.
  • Let us know if you need any help!

There are no restrictions on languages or tech stack. You just need to incorporate the Interledger Open Payments API  in your solution.

  • Your entry should represent a working POC that demonstrates a tangible solution, using the Interledger Open Payments API.
  • While it doesn't need to be a polished, production-level application, the POC should actively showcase the practicality and potential of your solution.

Yes, your team must present your solution, including  a demo, to the judges and other attendees on Sunday 20 October.

  • Judges will be looking at the quality of your idea, the potential impact of your solution, and how well you implemented it.
  • The best way to showcase what you did is to have a good presentation so make sure you take the time to polish this. We will be available to help you with dry runs as well.

Transport grants to and from the venue may be available to eligible local participants (within Cape Town area). Please enquire for more information here.

TBD

All meals, snacks, and drinks will be catered for at the event. Please let us know any of your dietary requirements on the registration form.

Get in touch on hackathon@interledger.org. We will be happy to answer any questions you have.

Interledger Foundation is a global organization and strives to work in areas previously excluded from Digital Financial Services. We support marginalized groups gain access to the tools and funding to build solutions that meet their needs, while being connected to a global interoperable network.

Interledger Foundation will not fund or support countries that are on the US Sanctions list.

The Interledger Protocol (ILP) is an open protocol, anyone who implements products or services leveraging ILP will have complete ownership of what they build.

We run an annual programme of grants which are promoted on our opportunities page. 

We provide detailed feedback on request for unsuccessful applications and encourage applicants to reapply for future applications.

You can visit our community site to find out more about previous grantees, including their reports and all the latest updates on what is happening in the Interledger Community.

When financial services that implement the Interledger Protocol (ILP) they become part of the Interledger Network. 

We provide a standardized implementation called Rafiki to make it easier to adopt ILP and join the network. We’ve implemented Open Payments in Rafiki for ILP-enabled accounts, allowing financial services to unlock new use-cases for their users.

As well as the standardized implementation, Rafiki, we also have a dedicated team of technical experts to support organizations implement the Interledger Protocol (ILP) and access to funding opportunities for research and development. 

Traditional payment networks operate independently from each other. Sending value is easy only if the sender and recipient have accounts on the same network, but it can be slow and expensive if they have accounts on different networks. Many people are forced to use proprietary services to transfer or receive money. Business growth and expansion is limited and economies are restricted.

Digital Financial inclusion  is an essential part of enabling social mobility and economic prosperity in high-need areas around the world. As more of society's infrastructure runs on technology it is critical  everyone, everywhere has access to digital financial services, rather than see the digital divide widen.  Read more about the state of digital financial inclusion in the World Banks The Global Findex, Financial Inclusion & Resilience report for 2022.

When anyone can send a payment as easily as an email transactions are not limited to particular banks, mobile money providers, or even borders.

It’s an open, neutral protocol for transferring money based on TCP/IP, the protocol that defines the Internet. It was designed for sending cross-border, cross-currency, instant payments. ILP is a simple protocol that allows for truly instant payments, no matter the size of the payment. 

It routes packets of money across the ILP network just as the internet routes packets of information. By moving funds as seamlessly as the internet moves information, payments sent using ILP are secure, fast, and can be in any currency, including fiat or otherwise. This means transactions are not limited to particular banks, mobile money providers, or even borders. 

Stefan Thomas and Evan Schwartz co-created Interledger in 2015. In October of that year, the whitepaper “An Interledger Protocol” and the first implementation were released, and the Interledger World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Community Group was formed. The group oversees the development and governance of the Interledger Protocol, enabling different member organizations, full-time collaborators and the public work together to develop standards for the web. Learn more about how to participate and get the latest news on the Interledger forum at forum.interledger.org.

It is an open protocol which means it is free for anyone to use.