Bisq Hackathon

Posted by HenrikJannsen on 1 April 2025

Bisq is launching its first-ever Hackathon from April 10–13—an open, collaborative space for innovative developers passionate about privacy and decentralization to connect, build, and help shape the future of Bisq.

Why Are We Launching a Hackathon?

Bisq is looking for experienced, self-driven developers to take on the ambitious challenges outlined in our roadmap.

This hackathon is a unique opportunity to attract top talent—innovative minds passionate about decentralization, privacy, and building resilient peer-to-peer systems.

With its open-ended format, the event encourages creativity, welcomes fresh ideas, and leaves room for unexpected breakthroughs that could shape Bisq’s future.

Why Participate?

  • Work on high-impact, real-world challenges
  • Collaborate directly with core Bisq developers
  • Help shape the next evolution of Bisq
  • Earn compensation for meaningful contributions

Challenges & Ideas

We’ve outlined key topics below—ranked by priority—but you’re also welcome to propose your own project.

Fee Payment in the MuSig Trade Protocol
  • Problem: How can we handle trade fees without compromising the privacy gains of the MuSig protocol?
  • Need: A privacy-preserving, scalable, and decentralization-compatible solution.
  • Status: We’re actively exploring options but haven’t found the sweet spot yet.
I2P Integration
  • Problem: I2P was integrated early on but dropped due to lack of development resources.
  • Need: A developer experienced with I2P to complete its integration into Bisq’s network stack.
  • Goal: Strengthen network-level resilience and censorship resistance.
Decentralized Reputation System
  • Problem: Building a reputation system that’s privacy-preserving and decentralized is a hard problem.
  • Need: Creative solutions leveraging Bisq’s architecture and features.
  • Challenge: Balancing privacy, decentralization, and usability.
Lightning Network Trade Protocol
  • Problem: We have a feasible Fiat-LN protocol concept—but it’s complex and infrastructure-heavy.
  • Need: Simpler, more elegant protocol designs.
  • Status: Early concept phase—open to new ideas and refinements.
AI Integration in Bisq
  • Current Use: AI-powered translations are live. An AI support agent is in development but not yet deployed.
  • Need: Identify new use cases that enhance user experience or enable novel solutions for reputation and security.
  • Goal: Deliver meaningful, privacy-respecting AI tools aligned with Bisq’s core values.
Scaling the DAO and BSQ
  • Observation: After 6 years of DAO activity, data accumulation is impacting performance.
  • Need: Optimize data storage, access, and processing—especially through APIs for Bisq 2. (Note: DAO code lives in the Bisq 1 codebase.)
  • Opportunity: Improve long-term scalability and simplify integration with Bisq 2.

Who We’re Looking For

We’re seeking participants who:

  • Are self-directed and motivated problem solvers
  • Align with Bisq’s values of privacy and decentralization
  • Enjoy building meaningful tech and tackling tough challenges

Read more

When?

  • Hackathon Dates: April 10–13, 2025
  • Support Hours: Bisq devs will be available to brainstorm, answer questions, and offer feedback:
    • 04:00–05:00 UTC
    • 14:00–15:00 UTC

You can post updates or questions at any time. Expect to spend around 10–20 hours across the three days, depending on your ambition.

Unavailable during the official dates? No problem—reach out! We’re flexible and open to ongoing collaboration with passionate contributors.

Where?

How It Works

1. Preparation

Review the challenge list and get familiar with Bisq. Setting up a dev environment is recommended—even for conceptual projects.

2. Kickoff

Join the Matrix channel and share your chosen idea or project. Collaboration is encouraged—join a team or form one!

3. Wrap-Up

Share your progress in the channel by the end of Day 3. Incomplete projects are welcome—what matters is contribution and momentum. You’re free to continue post-hackathon—just give a quick status update so we can track feedback and next steps.

4. Continue contributing to Bisq

If your work gains traction, you’re welcome to keep building and submit follow-up compensation requests or DAO proposals.

Compensation

Participants can submit a compensation request to the Bisq DAO, self-assessing the value of their work in BSQ. The DAO reviews each request based on its merit, impact, and alignment with Bisq’s goals.

A high-value contribution may earn up to 2800 BSQ (~$5,000 USD), pending DAO approval.

See previous contributor compensation requests for more context.




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