MIT Bitcoin Hackathon 2026: Freedom for All | Cambridge, MA

MIT Bitcoin Hackathon 2026: Freedom for All

The MIT Bitcoin Club invites you to the 13th annual MIT Bitcoin Hackathon, a 36-hour, in-person coding event at MIT in Cambridge, MA.

Whether you're a seasoned blockchain developer or completely new to the space, this hackathon is for you. Build innovative projects using Bitcoin and blockchain technologies alongside mentors, sponsors, and fellow builders from around the world. Historically, some of our best submissions have come from people who are brand new to Bitcoin and crypto. Everyone is welcome.

⚠️ This is a curated, application-only event. You must complete the Google Form below to be considered. No entry will be provided to the hackathon without an approved application. Viewing this Eventbrite page alone does not register you.

👉 APPLY HERE (REQUIRED): https://forms.gle/h8Kd2HZL2RtDDzRB6

🌐 Full details: https://mitbitcoinexpo.org/hackathon

📌 KEY DETAILS

• Dates: Friday, April 10 – Sunday, April 12, 2026
• Duration: 36 hours of hacking
• Location: MIT Campus, Cambridge, MA (in-person only)
• Team Size: Solo or up to 5 members (teams formed at the event)
• Eligibility: Must be 18 years or older
• Application: Individual applications only, no team signups. Selected participants notified via email with Discord invite.

📅 SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, APRIL 10

• 6:00 PM · Kickoff & Opening Ceremony
• 7:00 PM · Sponsor Introductions
• 8:00 PM · Workshop Sessions
• 9:00 PM · Hacking Begins!

SATURDAY, APRIL 11

All Day · Hacking Continues

• 12:00 PM · Lunch
• 2:00 PM · Mentor Office Hours
• 6:00 PM · Dinner
• 10:00 PM · Late Night Snacks

SUNDAY, APRIL 12

• 6:00 AM · Hacking Ends
• 6:00 – 8:00 AM · Submission Period
• 8:00 AM · Submission Deadline
• 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM · Judging
• 12:30 PM · Finalist Presentations
• 2:00 PM · Winners Announced

🏗️ WHAT CAN YOU BUILD?

Projects must be related to Bitcoin, blockchain, or cryptocurrency. Eligible domains:

• Bitcoin · Core protocol, Lightning Network, Taproot
• DeFi · Decentralized Finance applications
• Wallets & Payments · Payment solutions and wallet technology
• Privacy Tech · Privacy preserving technologies
• Smart Contracts · On-chain programmable logic
• Dev Tools · Developer tools and infrastructure
• Projects outside these domains will not be considered for judging.

🏆 PRIZES

Our prize pool uses a community-focused distribution model:

1st Place · 15% of prize pool

2nd Place · 10% of prize pool

3rd Place · 5% of prize pool

Community Split · 70% of prize pool

The 70% community pool is distributed among all qualifying submissions (above bottom 5%) based on ranked scoring. Your hard work gets rewarded even if you don't place in the top 3.

Total prize pool will be announced will be announced soon.

⚖️ JUDGING CRITERIA

• Technical · Completeness, functionality, and relevance of resources utilized
• Originality · Novel approach or solution
• Ambitious · Complexity of the problem or approach
• Design & UX · User experience and interface quality
• Wow Factor · Exceptional in some manner
• Sponsor Criteria · Specific requirements from sponsor challenges

📦 WHAT TO SUBMIT

1. Short slide deck with project motivation, description, and technology
2. GitHub repository with commit history during the hackathon
3. Demo video (3–5 minutes) showing your project in action
4. Optional: Link to live application with access credentials

❓ FAQ

• Do I need blockchain experience? Not at all! This hackathon is beginner friendly. We have workshops and mentors to help you get started.
• Can I participate remotely? No, this is in-person only at MIT Campus.
• Do I need a team? You can go solo or team up with up to 5 members. Apply individually and find teammates through Discord after acceptance.
• Can I start coding before the event? You can brainstorm ideas beforehand, but all code must be written during the hackathon. Regular commits are mandatory.
• How does the community prize split work? 70% of the prize pool is shared among all qualifying submissions based on ranked scoring.

📬 CONTACT

Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Twitter: @MITBitcoinClub

Website: mitbitcoinexpo.org/hackathon

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