MIT Bitcoin Club & Expo 2026
PRESETS:
MIT BITCOIN HACKATHON Freedom for All - 13th Annual • April 10-12, 2026MIT BITCOIN HACKATHON Freedom for All - 13th Annual • April 10-12, 2026
36 hours to learn, build, and ship the next generation of Bitcoin and blockchain applications. In-person at MIT Campus.
Register Now
- Team Size: 1-5 Members
- Age: 18+
- Format: In-Person Only
Our Impact
12 Years of Innovation
The premier student-led Bitcoin hackathon since 2014
- 12+ Years Running since 2014
- 100+ Participants Each Year
- 400+ Expo Attendees
- 225K+ Live Viewers
Past Innovations
- Layer 2 Scaling Solutions
- Privacy-Preserving Protocols
- Self-Custody Wallets
- Lightning Network Apps
- Bitcoin-Native DeFi
- Educational Tools
Where Alumni Go
- Bitcoin Core development teams
- Leading crypto companies
- Founded blockchain startups
About
Build the Future of Bitcoin - Join the most prestigious Bitcoin hackathon of the year
The cryptocurrency space needs you to develop the next generation of projects, applications, and features. In the spirit of MIT, this is a unique hackathon where you'll have 36 hours to learn, share, and build a remarkable project that may be the next big thing to scale this space.
With interactive workshops, mentorship sessions, and a collaborative atmosphere, it's the perfect environment to learn, build, and make meaningful connections — no matter your experience level.
🆕 New to Crypto?
No worries! This event is beginner-friendly with workshops to get you started.
💻 Experienced Dev?
Challenge yourself at one of the most prestigious Bitcoin hackathons.
🤔 Just Curious?
Join us to learn more about crypto. The fun is guaranteed!
How It WorksHow It Works
Get Started in Five simple steps to join the hackathon
1 Register: Create a Devpost account and complete the application form.
2 Join Discord: Once accepted, join our Discord to connect with participants.
3 Form Your Team: Work solo or find teammates in the #team-search channel.
4 Attend Kickoff: Join us at MIT on Friday, April 10th at 6:00 PM ET.
5 Build & Submit: Code your project and submit on Devpost before the deadline.
TracksTracks
What to Build? Your project must be related to Bitcoin, blockchain, or cryptocurrency
- Bitcoin: Core, Lightning Network, Taproot
- DeFi: Decentralized Finance applications
- Wallets & Payments: Payment solutions and wallet tech
- Privacy Tech: Privacy-preserving technologies
- Smart Contracts: On-chain programmable logic
- Dev Tools: Developer tools and infrastructure
What to Submit?What to Submit?
Make sure to include all required materials for judging:
- Slide Deck: A short presentation with your project motivation, description, story, and technology stack.
- GitHub Repository: With proper commit history showing work done during the hackathon period.
- Demo Video: A 3-5 minute video demonstrating your project in action.
- Live Application (Optional): Link to a live application with access credentials if needed.
📢 Finalist Announcement📢 Finalist Announcement
We will announce the 2nd round finalists on Discord on Sunday, April 12th around 8:00 AM ET. Be prepared to pitch between 12:30 PM and 2:00 PM.
RewardsRewards
Prize Distribution: A community-focused model that rewards all participants
- 1st Place: 15%
- 2nd Place: 10%
- 3rd Place:5%
- Community Split: 70%
How the Community Split Works
The 70% community pool is distributed among all qualifying submissions (above bottom 5%) based on ranked or tiered scoring. This means even if you don't place in the top 3, your hard work can still be rewarded!
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