ChainShift 2026: Web3 Hackathon

About

ChainShift 2026 is an online Web3 hackathon by Hack4Hack. Build onchain apps that real people can use: payments that just work, AI agents with their own wallets, tokenized assets and private identity, all on public testnets. Free to register.

How it works

• Round 1 · Register and submit your idea (till 16 Dec): form a team of 2 to 4, pick one problem statement and submit a 6-slide idea deck. Free.
• Round 2 teams announced (17 Dec): the best ideas are selected for Round 2. Selected teams confirm their spot with a $10 (₹999) per team fee by 21 Dec.
• Round 2 · Online build (18 – 26 Dec): starts as soon as Round 2 teams are announced. Build and deploy on a testnet, then submit your repo, contract address, demo video and deck by 26 Dec, 11:59 pm IST.
• Online pitching (Sunday, 27 Dec): every Round 2 team pitches live to the judges online: 5-minute demo + 3-minute Q&A. Slots are emailed on 26 Dec.
• Results (30 Dec).

Prizes

• $1,500 in prizes for the top 10 teams: 1st $500 · 2nd $300 · 3rd $200 · 4th and 5th $100 each · 6th to 10th $60 each.
• Certificates for every team that submits, and a certificate of achievement for winners.

Testnet only

Everything runs on public testnets (for example Ethereum Sepolia, Base Sepolia, Polygon Amoy, Arbitrum Sepolia or Solana Devnet) with free faucet tokens. No real money, no mainnet deployments and no token sales.

Problem statements

Pick one. Every project must deploy at least one smart contract or onchain program to a public testnet and use it in a working app.

PS-01 · Stablecoin payments for everyday India

Small shops, freelancers and students lose time and money on cross-border and peer-to-peer payments. Build a payment app that sends and settles stablecoin payments on a testnet as simply as a UPI payment: scan, pay, get a receipt.

Must have: a gasless or sponsored-fee experience for the payer, payment receipts and a merchant view of incoming payments.

PS-02 · AI agents with onchain wallets

AI agents can plan and act, but they can't pay for things safely. Build an agent that holds its own testnet wallet and pays for APIs, data or services per request, within limits set by its owner.

Must have: spending limits or allowlists enforced onchain, a human approval step above a threshold, and a log of every payment the agent made.

PS-03 · DeFi and real-world assets

Invoices, rent, gold and bonds sit idle because they can't be split or traded easily. Build an app that tokenizes a real-world asset or cash flow on a testnet and lets users invest, lend or borrow against it.

Must have: clear onchain ownership records, a simple risk or pricing model, and a dashboard of holdings.

PS-04 · Identity, privacy and credentials

Students and workers share full documents just to prove one fact. Build a credential system where colleges, employers or communities issue verifiable credentials, and users prove facts (age, degree, membership) without revealing everything.

Must have: onchain or verifiable credentials, a selective-disclosure or zero-knowledge proof flow, and a verifier screen.

PS-05 · Onboarding the next 100 million users

Seed phrases, gas fees and wallet pop-ups scare new users away. Build a consumer app (games, ticketing, loyalty, creator tools, community) where a first-time user can sign up with email or phone and use it onchain without ever seeing a seed phrase.

Must have: smart accounts or embedded wallets, sponsored transactions, and a sign-up to first transaction flow in under a minute.

PS-06 · Open track

Build any Web3 project that solves a real problem. It must still deploy to a public testnet and have a working demo.

Evaluation (100 points)

• Problem fit and real-world impact (25): is the problem real, and would people actually use this?
• Onchain design and security (25): contract design, use of the chain where it matters, and basic security (access control, input checks, no obvious exploits).
• Working demo and user experience (20): does it work end to end on a testnet, and is it easy to use?
• Innovation (15): how new or clever is the idea or the approach?
• Presentation (15): clarity of the demo, deck and answers to the judges.

Who can participate

• College students from any year or branch, and working professionals
• Teams of 2 to 4 members; invite teammates by link or email after registering
• New to Web3? You're welcome. Starter resources are on this page.
• Open to participants from any country.

Prizes

• 1st place — $500
• 2nd place — $300
• 3rd place — $200
• 4th place — $100
• 5th place — $100
• 6th place — $60
• 7th place — $60
• 8th place — $60
• 9th place — $60
• 10th place — $60

Perks

• Prizes for the top 10 teams
• Free to register
• Testnet only: no real money needed
• Certificate for every team that submits
• Certificate of achievement for winners

Timeline

1. Round 1 · Registration and idea submission (15 Nov 2026 – 16 Dec 2026): Register with a team of 2 to 4 (free), pick one problem statement and submit your idea deck (max 6 slides) as a link from your team workspace.
2. Round 2 teams announced (17 Dec 2026 – 21 Dec 2026): The best ideas are selected for Round 2 and notified by email. Selected teams confirm their spot with a $10 (₹999) per team fee by 21 Dec.
3. Round 2 · Online build (18 Dec 2026 – 26 Dec 2026): Build and deploy on a public testnet (you can start on 18 Dec). Submit a GitHub repository, your testnet contract address, a demo video (max 3 minutes) and a 6-slide deck by 26 Dec, 11:59 pm IST.
4. Online pitching (Sunday) (27 Dec 2026 – 27 Dec 2026): Every Round 2 team pitches live to the judges online: 5-minute demo + 3-minute Q&A. Pitch slots are emailed on 26 Dec.
5. Results (30 Dec 2026 – 30 Dec 2026): Top 10 teams announced. $1,500 in prizes.

Rules

1. Each team picks one problem statement and submits one idea in Round 1.
2. The best ideas are selected for Round 2. Selected teams pay a $10 (₹999) per-team fee by 21 Dec to confirm their spot; unconfirmed spots may go to waitlisted teams.
3. Round 2 building happens between 18 and 26 Dec. Open-source libraries, templates, public APIs and AI coding assistants are allowed.
4. Every project must deploy at least one smart contract or onchain program to a public testnet and use it in the demo.
5. Testnet only: no mainnet deployments, no real funds, and no token launches, presales, airdrops or fundraising of any kind.
6. Final submission: a public GitHub repository with a README, the testnet contract address(es), a demo video of up to 3 minutes and a 6-slide deck.
7. Online pitching is on Sunday, 27 Dec. Pitch slots are final; missing your slot without notice means you are judged on your submission only.
8. No real personal data; use mock or sample data.
9. Plagiarised or pre-built projects are disqualified. Fake or duplicate accounts lead to disqualification.
10. The organizers' decision on selection and results is final.

ChainShift 2026: Web3 Hackathon: quick answers

What is ChainShift 2026: Web3 Hackathon?

ChainShift 2026: Web3 Hackathon is an online web3 hackathon, organized by Hack4Hack. Build onchain apps real people can use. Online, testnet only, $1,500 for the top 10. Free to register.

When is ChainShift 2026: Web3 Hackathon?

ChainShift 2026: Web3 Hackathon runs from 15 Nov 2026 to 30 Dec 2026, online. Registration is open until 16 Dec 2026. Stages: Round 1 · Registration and idea submission (15 Nov 2026); Round 2 teams announced (17 Dec 2026); Round 2 · Online build (18 Dec 2026); Online pitching (Sunday) (27 Dec 2026); Results (30 Dec 2026).

What is the last date to register for ChainShift 2026: Web3 Hackathon?

Registration for ChainShift 2026: Web3 Hackathon closes on 16 Dec 2026 (11:59 pm IST). Register on Hack4Hack before then; teammates can join with your team code.

What is the prize money at ChainShift 2026: Web3 Hackathon?

ChainShift 2026: Web3 Hackathon has $1,500 in prizes. 1st place: $500, 2nd place: $300, 3rd place: $200, 4th place: $100, 5th place: $100.

Is ChainShift 2026: Web3 Hackathon free?

Yes, registering for ChainShift 2026: Web3 Hackathon is free. Teams shortlisted for the next round confirm their place with a ₹999 fee per team.

Who can participate in ChainShift 2026: Web3 Hackathon?

College students and working professionals can take part, in teams of 2 to 4. It is fully online, so you can join from anywhere.

Can I join ChainShift 2026: Web3 Hackathon from outside India?

Yes. ChainShift 2026: Web3 Hackathon runs fully online, so you can take part from any country unless its rules say otherwise. It starts 15 Nov, 12:27 am IST (14 Nov, 6:57 pm UTC).

Frequently asked questions

Is it free?

Registration and the Round 1 idea submission are free. Teams selected for Round 2 pay $10 (₹999) per team to confirm their spot.

Do I need crypto or real money?

No. Everything runs on public testnets with free tokens from faucets. Mainnet deployments and real funds are not allowed.

I have never built on Web3. Can I join?

Yes. Pick a problem statement you understand, use the starter resources on this page, and learn as you build. Judges score the problem and the product, not only the chain.

Which blockchains can we use?

Any public chain with a testnet, for example Ethereum Sepolia, Base Sepolia, Polygon Amoy, Arbitrum Sepolia or Solana Devnet.

When is the pitching?

Sunday, 27 Dec, online. Every Round 2 team gets a slot by email on 26 Dec: a 5-minute demo and 3 minutes of Q&A.

Can I participate alone?

No, teams need 2 to 4 members. Use the Find a team option to join one.

Will we get certificates?

Yes. Every team that submits gets a certificate, and winners get a certificate of achievement.