ADA Payment Gateway (Phase 2): WordPress & WooCommerce Integ

[Proposal setup] Proposal title

Please provide your proposal title

ADA Payment Gateway (Phase 2): WordPress & WooCommerce Integ

[Proposal Summary] Budget Information

Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA

75000

[Proposal Summary] Time

Please specify how many months you expect your project to last

5

[Proposal Summary] Translation Information

Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated

No

Original Language

en

[Proposal Summary] Problem Statement

What is the problem you want to solve?

Merchants on WordPress & WooCommerce can't easily accept ADA, locking Cardano out of 45% of the web's e-commerce. This is a massive missed opportunity for real-world utility

[Proposal Summary] Supporting Documentation

Supporting links

• https://github.com/esubalewamenu/ADA-Tracking-tool/
,
• https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/11/cardano-open-developers/universal-devtools-for-real-time-tracking-for-45percent-of-global-websites-support
,
• https://datascienceplc.com

[Proposal Summary] Project Dependencies

Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

Yes

Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'

The plugin will depend on the previously developed plugin by us, funded in Fund11. All components will be developed in-house.

[Proposal Summary] Project Open Source

Will your project's outputs be fully open source?

Yes

License and Additional Information

The project outputs will be fully open source under the MIT License. All code, documentation, and associated elements will be publicly accessible, allowing for community inspection, contribution, and collaboration. This ensures transparency, fosters community engagement, and adheres to open-source principles.

[Theme Selection] Theme

Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal

Developer Tools

[Campaign Category] Category Questions

Mention your open source license and describe your open source license rationale.

Our choice of the permissive MIT License is deliberate and central to our project's goals. The rationale is as follows:

• To Create a Permanent Public Good
• To Maximize Adoption and Utility
• To Foster Transparency and Trust
• To Encourage Community Collaboration

How do you make sure your source code is accessible to the public from project start, and people are informed?

We have a clear, multi-pronged strategy to ensure both code accessibility and community awareness throughout the project lifecycle

• Source Code Accessibility: The project's source code will be hosted in a public GitHub repository.
• Informing the Public: We will proactively communicate our progress.
• Active Community Engagement: We will share regular updates on social media.
• Milestone Demonstrations: We will publish a comprehensive video demonstration showcasing the plugin's functionality.
• Official Launch Announcements: We will make a formal public announcement across all our channels

How will you provide high quality documentation?

Providing high-quality, easy-to-understand documentation is a core deliverable of our project, and we have allocated specific resources to ensure its excellence.

• Dedicated Resources: Our budget includes a dedicated line item.
• Multiple Formats for Accessibility: We will produce a mix of resources to cater to different learning styles, including:
  • Detailed Written Guides
  • Step-by-Step Video Tutorials
• Centralized Documentation Hub: All documentation will be hosted on a Github, will be linked directly from the official WordPress.org plugin page for easy discovery by merchants.

[Your Project and Solution] Solution

Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem

Our solution is the Cardano Payments Gateway for WordPress, a dedicated e-commerce plugin designed to seamlessly integrate ADA payments into the world's most popular website platforms. As a Phase 2 project, this builds upon our previously developed tracking tool, evolving it into a full-featured, production-ready payment solution that is simple, secure, and direct.

This plugin is designed for the millions of merchants, entrepreneurs, and creators who use WordPress with WooCommerce. These users need a payment solution that is as easy to install and manage as traditional gateways like PayPal or Stripe, without requiring deep blockchain knowledge.

To achieve this, our plugin will deliver a set of powerful, targeted features:

• Seamless WooCommerce Integration: The gateway will install directly into the WooCommerce ecosystem, appearing as a native payment option in the store’s checkout settings. This ensures a reliable, familiar experience for merchants.
• One-Click "Pay with ADA" Button: At checkout, customers will see a clean and simple "Pay with ADA" option. This button will generate a unique payment link or QR code compatible with all major CIP-30 wallets (like Nami, Eternl, etc.), creating a frictionless payment experience.
• Direct, Self-Custodial Payments: All transactions are peer-to-peer. ADA payments are sent directly from the customer's wallet to the merchant's designated address. There are no intermediaries, no holding periods, and no risk of a third party freezing funds.
• Automated Order Management: Once the Cardano network confirms the transaction, our plugin will automatically update the order status in WooCommerce to "Processing" or "Completed." It will also provide developer-friendly payment confirmation "hooks" to trigger automated shipping, email notifications, or digital content delivery.

A Simple User Journey:

Imagine a small business owner anywhere in the world running a WooCommerce store. Their journey with our solution is simple:

1. They install our free plugin from the official WordPress Plugin Directory.
2. In the settings, they enter their public Cardano wallet address.
3. They enable the "Cardano Payments" option.

That's it. They can now accept ADA from a global customer base, completely self-custodially.

Project Deliverables

For this 75,000 ADA request, we will deliver a production-ready and fully tested plugin that includes all features described above. The final deliverable will be the open-source plugin, successfully submitted and listed on the official WordPress.org Plugin Directory, complete with comprehensive documentation for easy installation and use.

[Your Project and Solution] Impact

Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community

The successful delivery of our Cardano Payments Gateway will create a tangible and lasting impact by fundamentally increasing the real-world utility of ADA. It serves as a vital bridge between the Cardano ecosystem and the global digital economy, bringing direct value in three key areas:

1. Driving Real-World Utility

This project moves ADA beyond being just an asset for trading and staking into a true medium of exchange for goods and services. By enabling seamless payments on the world's largest e-commerce platform (WooCommerce), we create a recurring, practical use case for millions of potential users, demonstrating Cardano's capabilities as a robust financial operating system.

2. Onboarding the Global E-commerce Market

Our plugin provides a simple entry point for hundreds of thousands of non-crypto-native merchants and small business owners to join the Cardano ecosystem. For all merchants in the world, accepting ADA becomes as simple as enabling PayPal, opening them up to a new, global customer base and reducing their reliance on traditional payment processors with high fees.

3. Boosting On-Chain Metrics & Network Health

Every purchase made through the gateway is a transaction on the Cardano network. Widespread adoption of this plugin will directly lead to a sustainable increase in daily transaction counts and volume. This heightened on-chain activity strengthens the network, increases its perceived value, and provides a clear signal of growing adoption to the wider market.

Sharing Outputs and Opportunities

To ensure our project provides maximum and continuous value to the community, we will:

• Publish as a Public Good: The entire plugin, along with its source code, will be released under a permissive MIT license on GitHub, making it a free and open-source tool for anyone to use, audit, or build upon.
• Launch in the Official WordPress Directory: Our primary goal is to have the plugin officially listed on the WordPress.org Plugin Directory, making it easily discoverable and accessible to millions of website owners worldwide for ADA payment gateway.
• Create High-Quality Resources: We will produce comprehensive documentation, including step-by-step video tutorials and written guides, to make installation and use as simple as possible.
• Actively Engage the Community: We will actively promote the plugin and share our progress within Cardano and WordPress community forums, developer groups, and on social media to drive adoption and gather feedback for future improvements.

[Your Project and Solution] Capabilities & Feasibility

What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

Our team is uniquely positioned to deliver this project with the highest levels of trust and accountability, based on our directly relevant experience, deep technical expertise, and transparent management processes.

1. Proven Catalyst Track Record (Directly Relevant Experience)

The strongest proof of our capability is the successful delivery of the ADA Tracking Tool, which was funded in Catalyst Fund11. We have already built the foundational plugin, and have a track record of completing our projects and submitting detailed closeout reports. This demonstrates that we not only understand the technical challenges but are also reliable and accountable members of the Catalyst ecosystem. Our other successful projects, like Cardano for 100,000+ students https://milestones.projectcatalyst.io/projects/1100051 (50k+ active users) further showcase our ability to deliver impactful products.

2. Deep Technical Expertise (The Right Skills for the Job)

Our primary strength is our experienced, in-house team of software engineers. We will not need to spend community funds on a lengthy or risky hiring process. We have successfully delivered previously funded Cardano projects, including Blockchain Based Poultry Farm Management https://milestones.projectcatalyst.io/projects/1200073 , Cardano for 100,000+ students https://milestones.projectcatalyst.io/projects/1100051 , Universal DevTools for Real-time Tracking for 45%+ of Global Websites Support https://milestones.projectcatalyst.io/projects/1100282 , and Enhancing cardano developer ecosystem with open source tooling https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/11/cardano-open-developers/enhancing-cardano-developer-ecosystem-with-open-source-tooling , demonstrating our ability to manage a project from concept to completion within the Catalyst framework. Our in-house team possesses the specific, specialized skills required for this project:

• WordPress and WooCommerce Proficiency: We have experts who understand the specific requirements for building secure, efficient, and user-friendly plugins that integrate seamlessly into the world's largest e-commerce ecosystem.
• Cardano Blockchain Expertise: With Cardano Blockchain Certified Associates (CBCA) on our team, we have proven expertise in handling on-chain payment verification, wallet interactions, and ensuring the security of transactions.
• Full-Stack Capabilities: Our team covers all necessary roles, from backend and blockchain development to UX/UI design and Quality Assurance, ensuring a high-quality, professional-grade final product.

3. Feasibility Validation and Professional Project Management

Our approach is validated through a phased, iterative process. The successful delivery of Phase 1 serves as the initial proof of concept. For Phase 2, we will further validate feasibility through:

• A Private Beta Phase: Before the public launch, we will conduct rigorous testing with a select group of real-world merchants to identify bugs and refine the user experience.
• Agile Methodology: We use structured project management to ensure we meet the clear, verifiable milestones outlined in this proposal on time and within budget.

4. Trust, Accountability & Fund Management

We are committed to the highest standards of transparency and financial stewardship:

• Milestone-Based Reporting: All funds are tied directly to the milestones in this proposal. We provide detailed progress and financial reports upon the completion of each stage.
• Open-Source Transparency: Our commitment to releasing the plugin under an MIT license ensures that all work funded by the Treasury is fully transparent and auditable by the community on our public GitHub.
• External Validation: Our acceptance into the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub not only provides us with top-tier technical resources—reducing our overhead costs—but also serves as a layer of third-party validation of our team's credibility and potential.

The Microsoft for startups founders hub advantages: We have access to a mix of technical benefits and business resources. (38 microsoft services benefits)

By combining our proven experience with a clear plan and transparent processes, we are confident in our ability to deliver a high-impact payment gateway that serves the entire Cardano community.

[Milestones] Project Milestones

Milestone Title

Feature-Complete Plugin & MVP Showcase

Milestone Outputs

This phase consolidates all core development work. We will design the UI/UX, develop the complete "Pay with ADA" functionality, integrate it into the WooCommerce checkout process, and implement the automated payment confirmation hooks. The outcome will be a fully functional, end-to-end plugin ready for testing.

Milestone Outputs:

• A public GitHub repository containing the complete, feature-ready source code.
• A comprehensive, unlisted video demonstration (approx. 2-5 minutes) showcasing the entire user journey: a merchant installing the plugin, configuring their wallet address, and a customer successfully completing a test purchase on a WooCommerce demo store.

Acceptance Criteria

• The video demonstration is provided to the Catalyst team and clearly shows a successful end-to-end transaction, from the "Pay with ADA" button click to the automatic order status update in the WooCommerce dashboard.
• The GitHub repository is made accessible to the public for code review, verifying that all described features have been implemented as planned.

Evidence of Completion

• Link to the demo video that shows pay with ADA feature
• A github repo with the newly added feature code

Delivery Month

2

Cost

20000

Progress

30 %

Milestone Title

Public Launch on WordPress.org Directory

Milestone Outputs

Following a successful MVP review, we will conduct a public beta test with community members to gather feedback and make final refinements. The primary goal of this milestone is to successfully launch the plugin on the official WordPress.org Plugin Directory, making it securely and easily accessible to millions of users globally. We will also publish comprehensive documentation.

Milestone Outputs:

• A live, public link to our Cardano Payments Gateway plugin on the official WordPress.org Plugin Directory.
• A link to a public documentation website (e.g., using GitBook or github readme) with detailed installation guides, FAQs, and usage instructions for merchants.
• A public announcement of the official launch shared on social media and Cardano community forums.

Acceptance Criteria

• The plugin is successfully listed and publicly available for download from the official WordPress.org Plugin Directory.
• The public documentation website is live, complete, and linked from the plugin page.
• The public launch has been announced, and links to the announcements are provided.

Evidence of Completion

• Link to the payments gateway plugin on the official WordPress.org Plugin Directory.
• Link to documentation
• Link to launch announcement social media posts

Delivery Month

4

Cost

25000

Progress

60 %

Milestone Title

Project Completion Report & Video

Milestone Outputs

As per Catalyst requirements, we will submit a comprehensive closeout report. This report will detail the project's journey, achievements against our KPIs, challenges, and key learnings. We will also produce a final summary video showcasing the live plugin.

Milestone Outputs:

• A detailed PDF Project Completion Report.
• A 2-3 minute project summary and demonstration video.

Acceptance Criteria

• A 2-3 page final closeout report based on catalyst guideline.
• A 2-3 minute final project closeout video submitted to Project Catalyst and adhere to all specified guidelines and quality standards.

Evidence of Completion

• Link to final closeout report submitted.
• Link to the closeout video, published on youtube shared.

Delivery Month

5

Cost

30000

Progress

100 %

[Final Pitch] Budget & Costs

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

Our total funding request is 75,000 ADA. This budget is meticulously planned to cover all development, testing, and launch activities over our 6-month timeline, ensuring the delivery of a high-quality, production-ready payment gateway for the Cardano community.

The budget is broken down according to our two primary project milestones:

Milestone 1: Feature-Complete Plugin & MVP Showcase

• Development Labor: Covers all senior development hours for the core plugin architecture, secure payment logic, full WooCommerce integration, and automated order status hooks. This represents the most intensive phase of coding and engineering.

Milestone 2: Public Launch on WordPress Directory

• Development Labor: Covers all development hours for refining the plugin based on beta feedback, ensuring compliance with WordPress.org standards, and final bug fixes.
• Technical Writing: Dedicated hours for creating clear, comprehensive public documentation, including installation guides, FAQs, and step-by-step tutorials for merchants.
• QA & Beta Testing: Covers coordination of the public beta test, analysis of feedback, and final end-to-end quality assurance before the official launch.
• Marketing & Community: Budget for promoting the plugin's launch on social media, creating tutorial videos, and engaging with the Cardano and WordPress communities to drive initial adoption.

Final Milestone: Project Completion Report & Video

Time allocated for preparing the comprehensive final closeout report and producing the summary video as per Catalyst guidelines.

Other

• Project Management: Covers the Product Lead's time for sprint planning, team coordination, and preparing the detailed showcase and report.
• UI/UX Design: Covers professional design for the merchant settings panel and the customer-facing payment interface to ensure a seamless and trustworthy user experience.

Funding and Accountability

The entire project will be funded by this 75,000 ADA request. Our firm, DataScience Computing plc, is committed to transparency and will provide detailed expenditure reports alongside each milestone to ensure full accountability to the Cardano Treasury.

[Final Pitch] Value for Money

How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?

Our 75,000 ADA budget represents exceptional value for the Cardano ecosystem by delivering a critical piece of infrastructure with a high return on investment. The value is demonstrated through three key areas:

1. Strategic Importance & Multiplier Effect

Enabling e-commerce is a fundamental step in transitioning ADA from a speculative asset to a true medium of exchange. This plugin acts as a "force multiplier"; the value it creates is not limited to a single dApp. It provides essential infrastructure that will empower thousands of existing and future merchants, creators, and businesses to build on Cardano. Each store that adopts this gateway increases Cardano's brand visibility and on-chain transaction volume, providing ongoing value that far exceeds the initial investment.

2. Exceptional Cost-Efficiency

This project's budget is made possible by our strategic location. We have assembled a world-class team of developers with extensive WordPress and blockchain experience at globally competitive rates.

• A project of this complexity and quality, if developed in North American or Western European markets, would command a budget of 250,000 ADA or more. By funding our team, the Cardano Treasury gains access to top-tier development talent for a fraction of the typical cost, maximizing the impact of every Ada spent. Furthermore, our partnership with Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub provides us with crucial infrastructure at no cost, allowing us to dedicate over 85% of the budget directly to development, QA, and community support tasks.

3. Delivering a Permanent, Open-Source Asset

This funding is not for a temporary service; it is to create a permanent public good. The completed plugin, released under a permissive MIT license, will belong to the community forever. It can be freely used, audited, and improved upon by any developer in the ecosystem. This initial 75,000 ADA investment seeds a vital tool that will continue to grow and generate value long after our 6-month project is complete.

In summary, this proposal offers a low-risk, high-impact opportunity to fund a proven team to build a foundational tool that directly drives real-world adoption and utility for Cardano, all at an exceptionally efficient cost.

[Required Acknowledgements] Consent & Confirmation

Terms and Conditions:

Yes