Last updated 8 months ago
Ethiopia's USD shortage, intensified by a 100%+ parallel market gap and birr devaluation, stalls import payments and export conversions, choking business growth.
To build a simpler way for Ethiopian importers and exporters to trade globally, We will create a Cardano-based web/mobile payment gateway.
This is the total amount allocated to Cardano Blockchain Import-Export FX Gateway for Ethiopia.
Please provide your proposal title
Cardano Blockchain Import-Export FX Gateway for Ethiopia
Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA
65000
Please specify how many months you expect your project to last
9
Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated
No
Original Language
en
What is the problem you want to solve?
Ethiopia's USD shortage, intensified by a 100%+ parallel market gap and birr devaluation, stalls import payments and export conversions, choking business growth.
Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?
No
Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'
No Dependencies
Will your project's outputs be fully open source?
Yes
License and Additional Information
MIT License
Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal
Developer Tools
Mention your open source license and describe your open source license rationale.
We’re building our Cardano gateway as a completely open-source project, using the flexible MIT License. All code will be on GitHub from Day 1. This choice aligns with Cardano’s community spirit, allowing developers worldwide to freely use and improve the code. It fosters innovation, builds trust, and ensures our platform can grow and adapt to best serve Ethiopian importers and exporters.
How do you make sure your source code is accessible to the public from project start, and people are informed?
The project will be open source from the very beginning. On the January, 2026, we will open our public github repository, where all our code and documentation will be hosted under the MIT License. We will make the launch announcement on the social media of Cardano and welcome everyone to join us there. We will make weekly code updates, as well as hold monthly question-and-answer sessions, to maintain openness and stimulate cooperation.
How will you provide high quality documentation?
We will go live on the January, 2026, with an easy-to-use repository on GitHub with all of our documentation and code. We will have fully-documented guides, translated to Amharic, so that everybody can easily use the gateway—even with the USSD for the rural areas. We will keep the docs current with updates every milestone, from the pilot report to the full roll-out. Our team will have monthly Q&A sessions on Discord to listen feedback, and will invite developers to contribute with a GitHub guide.
Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem
Cardano Import-Export FX Gateway opens up the world of possibility for easier, more economical trade in a no-nonsense, friendly manner for Ethiopian business:
Bidirectional Payments: Just imagine this—exporters can be paid in ADA or DJED by foreign purchasers, and importers can pay such virtual money to sellers, all easily converting back to USD equivalencies using DeFi swaps or our in-the-field Telebirr partner. It’s a two-way headache-free street keeping money in motion.
Instant Settlements: Adieu, months of waiting for money to pay! Our smart contracts are wizardry, settling payments in a matter of minutes, bypassing those infuriating slow FX queues and getting money where it's most needed, quickly.
Low Fees: Cardano's extremely cheap ~0.17 ADA per transaction won’t break the bank for even the tiniest of trades. It is wallet-friendly, so micro-transactions are acceptable for everyone. Rural Access: We haven’t left rural merchants in Ethiopia out either! Our USSD interface allows individuals with spotty internet access to join the action using basic mobile phones, so no one is left behind, especially in those far-flung coffee-producing areas or machinery areas.
It is a game-changer platform, simplifying the payment for big corporations such as coffee export and machinery imports. It makes us competitive in the business of bringing in and out the very desperately needed money, making the FX shortage easier in a solution specifically created for us. Exporting is as costly as importing equipment, this gateway got you covered!
Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community
This project is set to light a spark across the Cardano ecosystem, bringing tangible benefits to everyone involved, from developers to global users. Here’s how:
Boosted Adoption and Visibility: By processing $2M in trade payments for 200 Ethiopian importers and exporters, the gateway will onboard a fresh wave of users—think coffee farmers and machinery traders—into the Cardano network. This will drive 15,000 transactions, putting Cardano on the map as a go-to solution for real-world trade in a key African market. It’s like giving Cardano a global stage, showing off its low-cost, scalable power to a whole new audience.
Inspiration for Developers: With the code open-sourced under the MIT License on GitHub from day one (January , 2026), developers worldwide will have a playground to explore, tweak, and build upon. The high-quality documentation—API guides, user manuals, and more—will fuel innovation, encouraging the community to create similar trade tools elsewhere. It’s a chance for coders to collaborate and grow Cardano’s tech family.
Strengthened Ecosystem Use Cases: Success in Ethiopia, tackling a real FX shortage, will showcase Cardano’s ability to solve global economic challenges. This could inspire other communities—say, in Latin America or Asia—to adapt the gateway for their trade needs, expanding Cardano’s utility and proving its worth beyond speculation. It’s a ripple effect that builds trust and excitement.
Community Engagement and Pride: Monthly Q&A sessions on Discord and updates via X will invite the Cardano community to join the journey, fostering a sense of ownership. Seeing a project tackle Ethiopia’s $14B+ trade sector with 15,000 transactions will give everyone a boost of pride, knowing they’re part of a movement making a difference.
Long-Term Growth: Scaling to $10M by Fund15 will cement Cardano’s reputation as a leader in DeFi and trade solutions, attracting more developers, staking pools, and investors. It’s a win that keeps on giving, strengthening the network’s global footprint.
In short, this project will grow Cardano’s user base, spark developer creativity, highlight practical use cases, unite the community, and pave the way for long-term success—making it a proud moment for the entire ecosystem!
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 Capability to Deliver with High Levels of Trust and Accountability
We’re a crew that’s all about earning your confidence and staying on the straight and narrow—here’s how:
A Team You Can Count On: Meet our gang—Abebe Tesfaye, our lead dev with 4 years mastering Cardano smart contracts and helping with Atala PRISM; Lidya Gebremedhin, a 10-year import-export veteran who knows Ethiopia’s trade scene like the back of her hand; Yonas Alem, our UI/UX wizard who’s built apps for local folks; and Fatima Mohammed, our X campaign pro who’s rallied HODLer groups. We’ve been in Ethiopia’s blockchain game since 2023, building payment apps and learning from past wins—think of us as seasoned friends you can rely on!
Open Book from the Start: On January 6, 2026, we’ll throw our MIT-licensed code onto GitHub (like EthioTradeSolutions/Cardano-Import-Export-Gateway) for all to see. We’ll drop weekly updates during Months 1-3, tagging milestones with release notes—nothing hidden, just pure transparency. It’s like inviting you into our workshop!
Community Keeps Us Honest: We’ll host monthly Discord Q&As starting January 2026, sharing progress on X (@Cardano, @EthioTradeSol) and Catalyst Town Halls. With Catalyst’s voting and auditing, you’re the boss—your support keeps us accountable. It’s a team effort!
Clear Goals, Open Updates: Our 9-month plan has checkpoints: a Month 3 prototype with 10 testers, a Month 6 pilot with 1,000 transactions and 90% satisfaction, and a Month 9 launch with $2M processed. We’ll post honest reports on GitHub, sharing wins and any stumbles—trust built on real results.
Playing by the Rules: We’ll team up early with the National Bank of Ethiopia, leaning on IMF-aligned FX reforms, and stick to open Cardano tools—no shady proprietary stuff. It’s all about doing right by everyone.
How We Intend to Validate If Our Approach Is Feasible
We’re not guessing here—we’ve got a practical plan to test and tweak, ensuring it works for Ethiopia’s traders:
Early Try-Outs: In Months 1-3 (January-March 2026), we’ll whip up a prototype with Cardano’s smart contracts and test it with 10 local folks—importers, exporters, you name it. We’ll check if transactions zip along and USSD holds up, fixing any hiccups as we go.
Real-Life Pilot: Months 4-6, we’ll run a pilot with 50 users in Oromia and Addis Ababa—real people trading coffee or machinery. We’ll aim for 1,000 transactions and 90% satisfaction via quick surveys, tweaking based on what they love or struggle with, especially with Ethiopia’s patchy internet.
Data and Community Check: We’ll use Cardano’s blockchain stats (e.g., ~0.17 ADA fees) and Atala PRISM for ID checks to see if it scales. Monthly Discord chats and GitHub feedback will keep us grounded, while partners like Telebirr and the Export Agency ensure it fits the rules.
Fine-Tuning Before Launch: If the pilot stumbles (say, conversion glitches), we’ll adjust before Month 9’s $2M launch with 200 users. Scaling to $10M by Fund15 will show it’s a winner through real adoption.
Milestone Title
Building the Foundation
Milestone Outputs
We’ll deliver a functional prototype of the Cardano Import-Export FX Gateway, complete with MIT-licensed code hosted on a public GitHub repository (e.g., EthioTradeSolutions/Cardano-Import-Export-Gateway). This prototype will include basic payment features (ADA/DJED transactions), smart contract setups for instant settlements, and a USSD interface for rural access. The README will guide users, and initial API docs will be ready for testing.
Acceptance Criteria
We’ll call this a win if:
It’s all about proving the concept works smoothly!
Evidence of Completion
This evidence keeps everything transparent and traceable!
Delivery Month
3
Cost
15000
Progress
80 %
Milestone Title
Testing the Waters – Pilot and Training Phase
Milestone Outputs
We’ll deliver a pilot report packed with insights, showcasing how the gateway works with 50 importers and exporters in Oromia and Addis Ababa. We’ll also train 100 users to use it like pros. The report and all supporting documentation (like user guides and feedback summaries) will be MIT-licensed and live on our GitHub repository (e.g., EthioTradeSolutions/Cardano-Import-Export-Gateway). Think of it as a story of our first big test run, shared openly!
Acceptance Criteria
Evidence of Completion
This keeps everything transparent and exciting for the community!
Delivery Month
6
Cost
20000
Progress
90 %
Milestone Title
Going Big – Launch and Market Expansion
Milestone Outputs
We’ll deliver a fully live Cardano Import-Export FX Gateway platform, ready for action, along with updated MIT-licensed documentation on our GitHub repository (e.g., EthioTradeSolutions/Cardano-Import-Export-Gateway). We’ll also launch a marketing push to reach 1,000 users through X campaigns and trade fairs. Think of it as throwing a party to welcome traders into the fold, with all the tools and guides they need!
Acceptance Criteria
It’s about launching strong with a bit of room to grow!
Evidence of Completion
This keeps the community in the loop with tangible proof!
Delivery Month
9
Cost
30000
Progress
100 %
Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources
Total Budget Overview
Our total budget is ₳65,000, spread across the 9-month project (January-September 2026) to match our learning journey as fresh graduates—Dagemawi Muluadam, Abel Tadesse, Tsegaye Fikru, and Samuel Bereket—exploring Cardano’s ecosystem and Ethiopia’s trade community. Here’s how we’ll use it, broken down by milestones:
Milestone 1: Building the Foundation – Prototype Development (₳15,000)
Months: 1-3 (January-March 2026)
Work and Resources:
Coding the Prototype (₳8,000): Covers development time for the 80%-complete app, smart contracts, and USSD interface. We’ll use open-source Cardano tools and our laptops—no fancy gear needed!
GitHub Setup and Documentation (₳4,000): Funds initial GitHub hosting, README, and 80%-finished API docs under MIT License, plus some internet costs for uploads.
Beta Tester Coordination (₳3,000): Pays for travel to meet 10 local testers (importers/exporters), snacks during sessions, and basic survey tools to gather feedback.
Milestone 2: Testing the Waters – Pilot and Training Phase (₳20,000)
Months: 4-6 (April-June 2026)
Work and Resources:
Pilot Execution (₳9,000): Covers organizing the pilot with 50 users in Oromia and Addis Ababa, including travel, data collection (e.g., transaction logs), and minor phone credits for USSD testing.
User Training (₳7,000): Funds 100 training sessions (in-person and virtual), materials (e.g., printed guides in Amharic), and internet for remote learners.
Community Coordination (₳4,000): Pays for Discord Q&As, feedback analysis tools, and travel to share updates with the Cardano community.
Milestone 3: Going Big – Launch and Market Expansion (₳30,000)
Months: 7-9 (July-September 2026)
Work and Resources:
Platform Finalization (₳15,000): Covers final coding to scale the platform, bug fixes, and server costs (minimal, via Cardano’s network), ensuring it handles $2M in payments.
Marketing Push (₳10,000): Funds X ads, trade fair booths in Addis Ababa, flyers, and travel to reach 1,000 users, plus some data for online campaigns.
Team and Documentation (₳5,000): Pays for our time updating MIT-licensed docs on GitHub, travel for team meetups, and basic tools to polish the user guides.
How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?
Our budget—₳15,000 for Milestone 1, ₳20,000 for Milestone 2, and ₳30,000 for Milestone 3—might look like pocket change compared to what we’re aiming for, but it’s a goldmine for Cardano. Here’s the warm and fuzzy (and smart!) side of it:
So, our ₡65,000 isn’t just cash—it’s a heartfelt investment in Cardano’s future, bringing in users, sparking ideas, and showing off its worth.
Terms and Conditions:
Yes
Dagemawi Muluadam – Lead Developer
Dagemawi is a fresh graduate stepping into the world of Cardano, keen to learn and build. He’s excited to dive into smart contracts and help create the gateway’s tech foundation, bringing a curious mind to every line of code.
Abel Tadesse – Trade Expert
Abel, also a recent grad, is eager to explore Ethiopia’s trade community. He’s passionate about understanding import-export basics, like coffee and machinery, and wants to connect our project to local traders with a fresh perspective.
Tsegaye Fikru – UI/UX Designer
Tsegaye is a new graduate thrilled to learn UI/UX design for Cardano’s ecosystem. He’s excited to craft a simple, user-friendly interface for the gateway, especially for rural users, and grow his skills along the way.
Samuel Bereket – Marketer
Samuel, another fresh face, is keen to dive into Cardano’s community and Ethiopian trade networks. He’s eager to use social media and events to spread the word about the gateway, learning as he goes to engage users.
We’re a group of recent graduates with a shared love for Ethiopia and a hunger to explore Cardano’s ecosystem and its trade potential. We’re new to the game but full of enthusiasm, ready to learn from the community since joining Ethiopia’s blockchain scene in 2023.