Welcome to the Trust & Play Hackathon!

We're thrilled to have you join us on this journey of co-creation, trust, and imagination across Web3, fintech, and the metaverse. This hackathon isn’t just about competition—it’s a space to explore meaningful ideas for identity, play, and civic value in a digital future.

Hosted by w3 ff and WASA in partnership with ETHRiyadh, the Trust & Play Hackathon is a hybrid event where global talents come together to reimagine digital trust. Through storytelling, creativity, and concept-building, we’ll shape new ways of interacting with finance, culture, and technology.

Before we dive in, let’s set the stage for a collaborative and respectful environment where all voices are heard and all participants feel empowered to contribute their best.

Hackathon Tracks

🧩 Track 1: Web3 & Decentralized Identity (DID)

The Future is Self-Sovereign

How can decentralized identity enable trust in finance, education, or virtual platforms?

Examples:

• KYC with DID
• DID-powered educational platforms
• Cross-platform Web3 login

🎮 Track 2: Metaverse Gaming & Experience Design (The Sandbox)

Play. Build. Own.

Create immersive games and experiences using The Sandbox tool stack.

Examples:

• Financial literacy adventure game
• DID-powered avatars with reputation
• Metaverse learning hubs

💸 Track 3: Fintech Innovation & Gamified Finance

Banking that speaks to the next generation

Design Web3-first financial tools with fun, accessible UX.

Examples:

• Gamified budgeting tools
• NFT-based rewards
• AI coaches with storylines
• 24/7 banking counter in the metaverse

🕌 Track 4: Web3 for Civic Trust & Cultural Integrity

Inspired by the themes of EthRiyadh

Develop concepts that use Web3 and the Metaverse to reinforce trust, cultural identity, and public good in Saudi Arabia.

Examples:

• Onchain civic participation platforms
• Virtual “Majlis” for cultural dialogue
• Digital heritage NFTs
• Youth or community DAOs

🕌 Track 5: Cashless Payment solution for visitors & pilgrims

Millions of pilgrims and visitors arrive in Saudi Arabia carrying only foreign cash often without smartphones or access to digital banking.

In a rapidly cashless Kingdom, how can these guests immediately and effortlessly participate in everyday digital payments?

This challenge invites teams to design a simple, inclusive, and secure solution that enables pilgrims and travelers to convert cash into a usable digital payment experience without technical complexity, long onboarding, or reliance on personal devices.

Application and Team Selection Process

The Trust & Play Hackathon is a team-based hybrid hackathon. While individuals are welcome to register, all participants must either join or form a team in order to compete during the hackathon phase.

Teams must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Team Size: 2 to 6 participants per team
• 🔞 Age Requirement: All participants must be at least 18 years old
• 🌍 Participation Format: Open to remote, hybrid, and on-site participants (Riyadh)
• 🗣 Language Requirement: At least one team member must be fluent in English and able to join mentoring sessions and checkpoints
• 💡 Originality: Submitted ideas must be original and must not infringe on third-party IP rights (copyright, patents, trademarks)
• 🚫 Exclusions: Teams with already commercially available solutions are not eligible
• 🎓 Skills: Diverse technical and business skill sets are recommended; at least one member should be familiar with the chosen theme
• 📆 Commitment: Teams must commit to full participation throughout the hackathon, including at least 2 mentoring sessions and all checkpoints to be eligible for awards
• 👤 One Team Only: Each participant may only be part of one team

Registration & Submission

Key dates:

• 📅 Registration open: Dec 3 | 2025
• Masterclasses & Panel discussions in the virtual phase: Dec. - End of Jan | 2026
• 📣 Announcement of Selected Teams: Feb | 2026
• 🤝 Online Matchmaking & Team Formation Events: Will take place during the Pre-Hack Phase between December and January

Register!

Teams Pre-Selection and Announcement

Before entering the active hackathon phase, all submitted teams will undergo a pre-selection process to ensure alignment with the Trust & Play Hackathon’s objectives and thematic focus.

🧩 Selection Criteria:

• Team Size:Minimum of 2 members required. Teams with 3 or more members are preferred to promote skill diversity.
• Problem Statement:Submissions must include a clear description of the problem the team seeks to address, explaining its relevance and potential impact.
• Solution Overview:An initial solution idea should be outlined. Early-stage or open-ended approaches are acceptable.
• Thematic Alignment:Teams must clearly demonstrate how their idea connects to one or more of the official hackathon tracks: Web3 Identity, Metaverse, Fintech, or Civic Trust. And should combine at least two of them

🎯 Selection Outcome:

Submissions will be reviewed by the organizing team based on the above criteria. Selected teams will be announced via the official hackathon platform in the Ideas/Teams section.

📌 Team Numbers:

Each accepted team will receive a unique team number, which remains fixed throughout the event.

Team names and idea titles can still be updated during the hackathon.

Register!

Contact Information and Important Links

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us:

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.w3-ff.com

6 Dec 2025

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10 Dec 2025

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14 Jan 2026

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15 Jan 2026 (today)

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27 Jan 2026

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1 Feb 2026

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5 Feb 2026

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6 Feb 2026

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