Last updated 7 months ago
Cardano DeFi traders face a dilemma: AI-powered trading requires surrendering private keys to custodial systems ; manual trading misses profitable opportunities across traditional and crypto markets.
Self-hosted AI trading bot combining market intelligence with Cardano DeFi analysis. Users maintain full custody while AI runs locally in a sandbox, bridging TradFi insights with crypto execution.
This is the total amount allocated to Non-Custodial AI Trading Bot on Cardano.
Please provide your proposal title
Non-Custodial AI Trading Bot on Cardano
Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA
99000
Please specify how many months you expect your project to last
12
Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated
No
Original Language
en
What is the problem you want to solve?
Cardano DeFi traders face a dilemma: AI-powered trading requires surrendering private keys to custodial systems ; manual trading misses profitable opportunities across traditional and crypto markets.
Supporting links
Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?
Yes
Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'
Chainlink oracles, Traditional market data and social network (sentiment) APIs, Cardano network, Docker ecosystem, DEX APIs , Cardano wallet standards.
Will your project's outputs be fully open source?
Yes
License and Additional Information
MIT ; will be hosted on github
Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal.
DeFi
Describe what makes your idea innovative compared to what has been previously funded (whether by you or others).
This is the first AI-powered trading solution on Cardano that preserves full user custody. While projects like SNEKbot use Telegram to streamline execution and other AI-focused initiatives emphasize governance or tooling, none employ local AI execution combined with cross-market intelligence (TradFi + DeFi) while keeping keys entirely non-custodial.** **
No other funded project offers this combination. Our self-hosted architecture solves the critical trade-off between security and automation, unlocking powerful decentralised trading without compromising user sovereignty.
Describe what your prototype or MVP will demonstrate, and where it can be accessed.
The MVP will demonstrate a self-hosted AI trading bot deployed via Docker, analysing real-time data and executing non-custodial trades on Cardano DEXs like Minswap or SundaeSwap. Users will retain full control of their private keys.
A Telegram interface will allow users to monitor the bot's signals and activity. The prototype will validate local AI execution, secure wallet integration, and decentralised strategy automation.
A public testnet version, a GitHub repo, and a minimal marketing website will be shared at launch.
Describe realistic measures of success, ideally with on-chain metrics.
Success will be measured across four dimensions:
These metrics will validate feasibility and show Cardano can lead in secure, decentralised AI-DeFi.
Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem
TruBot is the internal code name for this solution: a decentralised, self-hosted AI trading bot that empowers Cardano users with powerful automation — without ever compromising custody or privacy.
Cardano’s ecosystem offers a robust decentralised infrastructure and increasing DeFi activity, but traders still face a fundamental trade-off: security versus performance. The most powerful AI trading tools are centralised and custodial systems.
They require users to surrender their private keys, trust black-box models, and route funds through opaque infrastructure, contradicting blockchain’s promise of user sovereignty. Meanwhile, Cardano-native traders who want to retain full control are left with manual strategies and basic tools, often underperforming compared to their AI-assisted counterparts on Ethereum or CEXs.
Our solution directly addresses this dilemma by delivering the first self-hosted, non-custodial AI trading bot designed specifically for the Cardano ecosystem. It enables users to harness real-time, AI-driven cross-market trading intelligence, without ever giving up control of their private keys or assets.
At the core of this solution is a Dockerised, locally hosted AI engine that interacts with both traditional financial data sources, mainstream crypto Oracles, and Cardano-native DeFi protocols. This engine runs fully on the user’s machine with minimal GPU specs for runinng AI inference, requiring no cloud infrastructure and exposing no private keys to third parties.
This architecture reflects Cardano’s values of decentralisation, privacy, and security. The system is designed to be modular, transparent, and privacy-preserving. Users download and run a container that includes:
This modular system is plug-and-play: all strategy logic, data feeds, and interfaces are swappable and configurable without touching the core infrastructure.
Furthermore, no part of the architecture requires surrendering keys, uploading private information, or trusting proprietary cloud services. The user retains complete control over wallet, keys, data, and strategy execution.
This project introduces several breakthrough innovations into the Cardano ecosystem:
✅ Self-Hosted AI Intelligence
Most AI trading tools are SaaS-based, meaning execution logic and data are handled externally. Our approach uses fully local inference: the AI model runs client-side, using sandboxed data pulled in real-time and processed securely within Docker. This mirrors the ethos of tools like LocalAI and aligns with the trend toward “AI sovereignty.”
✅ Non-Custodial by Design
The AI bot never touches the user’s private keys. Trades are signed locally via Cardano wallet integration (e.g., via CIP30 browser wallets or command-line wallets), and transactions are submitted directly to the Cardano network from the user’s machine.
✅ Cross-Market Trading Intelligence
Rather than limit itself to on-chain data, the bot combines off-chain macro and equity signals (via Chainlink or direct APIs) with on-chain Cardano market activity. This enables arbitrage strategies, hedge suggestions, and correlation-based trading insights that go beyond what’s currently available in DeFi trading bots.
✅ Composable, Modular Infrastructure
The entire system is built as a composable, open Docker image with a plugin-based system. Users or developers can swap out:
This modularity opens doors to community contributions and future Catalyst-funded extensions.
At a very high level, here is how the solution directly solves identified market pain-points:
Custody Problem: many bots require users to transfer assets to wallets controlled or generated by the bot, which introduces potential custodial vulnerabilities. In addition, they may require extra user's API keys, adding to user's concerns.
Our solution: User keeps 100% control of private keys while gaining automated AI trading capabilities.
Trust and Security Issues: the biggest security risk comes from user error (double-check contract addresses before trading, be cautious of scam links). Beyond this, users must trust centralized servers Trading Bots.
Our Solution: No trust required - AI runs locally, user controls everything.
Lack of Cardano-native trading tools: TradFi and Ethereum dominate the landscape. AI Bot Trading solutions are being built first on Ethereum and Solana.
Our solution: an AI trading Bot built for Cardano, using its standards, tools, and DEX ecosystem.
A vastly superior solution by design:
This project leverages proven, stable technologies:
Previous Catalyst projects by the proposer have demonstrated successful delivery of similarly scoped projects, including:
This solution directly:
It also supports Cardano’s long-term sustainability by attracting a new user base: active traders and developers seeking self-sovereign financial automation.
The Non-Custodial AI Trading Bot on Cardano offers a breakthrough solution to a deeply rooted problem: enabling intelligent, automated, secure trading without compromising control. It combines the best of AI, DeFi, and privacy-first architecture in a way that no funded Catalyst project has yet achieved.
By keeping execution local, keys private, and strategies transparent, this project will contribute to strengthen Cardano’s position as the blockchain of choice for decentralised, secure, and intelligent financial tooling.
We are excited to build this with, and for, the Cardano community.
Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community
The TruBot project delivers a transformational capability to Cardano: secure, AI-powered, non-custodial trading. By enabling automated, intelligent trading strategies without compromising user sovereignty, it solves one of the ecosystem’s most critical missing pieces, and opens the door to wider adoption, deeper liquidity, developer reuse, and global visibility.
Until now, sophisticated AI trading strategies have remained the domain of large institutions or centralised platforms, locking out everyday users and violating the principle of self-sovereignty. This project breaks that barrier.
By providing a non-custodial, locally-run AI trading bot with access to cross-market signals (TradFi + Cardano DeFi), we democratise access to advanced trading for everyone, regardless of technical or financial background. This empowers smaller users to compete on more equal footing while keeping full control over their assets, privacy, and data.
The result is a radically levelled playing field that unlocks previously inaccessible value for the average Cardano community member.
Where other ecosystems have leaned into custodial convenience, Cardano has always championed decentralisation and individual control. This project extends that vision into the AI + DeFi space: delivering advanced automation without compromising custody or user trust.
Our approach reinforces Cardano’s core identity: a blockchain for builders, innovators, and individuals who value security and sovereignty. We believe this is the only AI trading solution fully aligned with the Cardano ethos, and it sets a powerful precedent for how complex applications can remain decentralised by design.
This proposal also sends a clear message: Cardano leads in building secure, decentralised tools, not just replicating what exists elsewhere.
Today, capital allocation in DeFi is skewed toward ecosystems with more mature trading tools—particularly Ethereum and Solana. But most of those AI-based trading solutions rely on cloud-based bots and key delegation, which introduces trust and regulatory concerns, as well as execution risks.
By offering a secure, self-custodial alternative, Cardano has the opportunity to capture capital flow that currently bypasses it.
This project can:
This is a direct contributor to Cardano’s economic growth and market depth.
Beyond the user-facing product, this project leaves behind a valuable technical legacy: open-source components that others can build upon. These include:
This infrastructure lowers the barrier for future developers who want to build on Cardano. Future Catalyst projects will be able to fork, extend, or remix these components to create bots, dashboards, strategies, and educational tools.
In this sense, the project doesn’t just solve a problem; it effectively seeds the Cardano ecosystem with a toolkit for decentralised AI-driven apps.
Cardano has historically been underrepresented in AI + DeFi conversations, despite its technical strengths. This project changes that narrative.
It positions Cardano as the first major blockchain to successfully combine AI automation with full user sovereignty, offering an immediate and visible differentiator in a crowded market. That distinction could drive:
The success of this project would create a global reference point for decentralised AI execution, and with added visibility, Cardano can own this new space: decentralised AI-powered finance.
The bot’s AI-driven cross-market analysis helps eliminate inefficiencies in token pricing, identify correlations, and expose arbitrage paths.
As more users run local bots, the ecosystem benefits from:
This enhances the health of Cardano DeFi and lays the foundation for future market sophistication, creating a decentralised intelligence network that improves trading outcomes, reduces manipulation risk, and builds trust in Cardano DeFi markets.
The project also creates powerful educational value for the community.
Through open-source code, strategy documentation, deployment guides, and community AMAs, we help Cardano users learn:
This learning effect will radiate outward, bringing new users into DeFi, improving community literacy, and inspiring other builders to follow suit.
Many Catalyst-funded projects face execution risk due to unproven teams or unclear technical paths. This project is different:
That makes this not only impactful, but efficient, reliable, and deliverable — a rare combination.
The project will be delivered in the open, with milestone updates shared publicly via GitHub, X (Twitter), Catalyst community platforms, and a dedicated Telegram channel for testers and early adopters.
Each milestone will include a recorded demo, accompanied by source code, changelogs, and user instructions. Eric will host regular AMAs and progress briefings to keep the community informed, gather feedback, and guide adoption.
This transparent, interactive approach ensures that community members are not just observers but active participants in shaping the solution.
As the regulatory landscape evolves and users demand more sovereignty, Cardano’s early support of non-custodial AI finance will prove critical.
This project offers:
It is a strategic long-term asset for the ecosystem, aligning with Cardano’s values while pushing its capabilities into the future of decentralised finance.
This project is not just technically sound or well-scoped. It is transformational.
It delivers:
And it does so in a way that is true to Cardano’s core mission: decentralised, secure, and accessible innovation.
This is the kind of impact Catalyst exists to fund.
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?
The TruBot project is structured for delivery with a high level of trust, accountability, and feasibility validation from day one.
It is led by Eric, a seasoned architect, developer, and entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in delivering mission-critical software solutions for Fortune 500 companies and government institutions. Eric has independently delivered five funded Catalyst projects, all completed on time, on scope, and with publicly verifiable results.
These include:
Unlike many Catalyst proposals that depend on loosely formed teams or external contractors, this project is 100% self-managed and accountable. Eric handles every critical aspect of delivery — architecture, development, security, integration, testing, and documentation — ensuring maximum focus, cohesion, and execution reliability.
The project is broken down into 5 clear, auditable milestones over a 12-month window, with each milestone including:
Milestone validation will be supported by one public demo video per milestone, showcasing functionality, UX, and on-chain interaction. Interested to see the kind of video quality delivered to validate project milestones? See the latest one here (project "Reinventing Voting with Digital Identity, Trust and Anonymity", Milestone 4), recorded on 11th Aug 2025 : https://youtu.be/vBzfF3m3hwQ
In addition, a public testnet version will allow early users to validate execution flow, wallet safety, and strategy output.
All source code will be version-controlled and released progressively, ensuring transparency, peer review, and reproducibility.
This is not a speculative proposal. Feasibility has been demonstrated through prior projects and working components:
This proposal does not depend on speculative technology, untested APIs, or outsourced development. Every component has a clear delivery path based either on existing libraries, prior work, or community standards.
Eric maintains full visibility within the Catalyst community and commits to:
Funding is milestone-based and tied to demonstrable progress. Key features will be testable in a public testnet environment before full deployment.
Eric’s 100% completion record across previous Catalyst projects, combined with his hands-on control and minimal risk exposure, makes this a highly accountable, execution-ready proposal.
This is not just a promising idea. It is a technically validated, operationally realistic, and trust-driven project led by someone with a proven and public track record.
Every element — architecture, milestones, tooling, team, budget — is designed for clear, auditable delivery. Reviewers, funders, and users will have full visibility into what is being built, how it works, and how it delivers long-term value for Cardano.
This is not only feasible. It is already being demonstrated. This project builds on two years of foundational work by Eric, whose track record and deep ecosystem knowledge make him uniquely positioned to execute this project. The groundwork is done; now is the right time to fund a solution that can redefine what’s possible for Cardano DeFi.
Milestone Title
Architecture Review & Foundation
Milestone Outputs
We will use the first milestone to finalise the specifications and provide small proof of concepts where necessary (see below). In particular, those areas whose specifications and technology choices will be refined are:
Acceptance Criteria
Evidence of Completion
GitHub repository with architecture diagrams, container layout, and documentation.
Shared review of architecture and threat model.
Documentation outlining compliance with CIP-30 wallet standards.
Functional Docker skeleton demonstrating placeholder modules for AI, execution, and wallet handling.
Delivery Month
2
Cost
14500
Progress
20 %
Milestone Title
Core AI-engine development
Milestone Outputs
This Milestone is about the delivery of an AI engine for automated trading.
It includes those high level intermediate deliveries:
Acceptance Criteria
AI engine functional locally with test data.
Signal generation works end-to-end using at the very least historical data, or possibly live data.
Modular design allows future upgrade of models or strategies without breaking integration.
Model runs within Docker sandbox without outbound data leakage.
Evidence of Completion
GitHub repo with runnable local AI module, test datasets, and signal generation logs.
Documented AI capabilities (including strategies and how to activate them)
Validation report demonstrating strategy logic and initial backtest outputs.
Demo video showing AI signals triggering locally.
Delivery Month
5
Cost
23000
Progress
40 %
Milestone Title
Blockchain Integration & Trading Logic
Milestone Outputs
This Milestone is about the integration of the trading AI into the Cardano eco-system. Outputs are:
Acceptance Criteria
Evidence of Completion
Delivery Month
8
Cost
23000
Progress
70 %
Milestone Title
User Interface & Experience
Milestone Outputs
This Milestone is about delivering a simple and easy to use user interface to activate Bot strategy and defined Bot settings. At this stage, we privilege an integration with Telegram, although this could be reviewed slightly after M1 validations.
Acceptance Criteria
Evidence of Completion
Delivery Month
11
Cost
22000
Progress
90 %
Milestone Title
Packaging, Demo & Deployment
Milestone Outputs
This is the final milestone, including a close-out report, community engagement, and demo video recordings.
Acceptance Criteria
Final release available for download and install.
At least 5 early adopters successfully onboard and provide feedback.
Project documentation covers install, use, config, troubleshooting.
Trade execution verifiable on testnet or with dummy wallets.
Evidence of Completion
DockerHub and GitHub release URL.
Public video demo and presentation materials, including a video recording of an end-to-end demo.
Community feedback posts or testimonials.
On-chain logs of testnet/live trades placed by pilot users.
Delivery Month
12
Cost
16500
Progress
100 %
Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources
The cost of the entire project is calculated at ₳165,600 ($119,232), but was discounted by 46% to deliver high value for money.
The original cost was calculated as follows:
M1 - Architecture Review and Foundation (2 months)
Total = 26 days | ₳25,222 | $18,160
M2 - Core AI Engine Development (3 months)
Total = 34 days | ₳32,778 | $23,600
M3 - Blockchain Integration and Trading Logic (3 months)
Total = 39 days | ₳37,778 | $27,200
M4 - User Interface and Experience (3 months)
Total = 37 days | ₳34,222 | $24,640
M5 - Packaging, Demo and Deployment (1 month)
Total = 18 days | ₳14,000 | $10,080
Total budget (real) = 154 (all packages) + 23 (add 15% risk) = 177 days | ₳165,600 | $119,232 - As disclosed above, Eric is the sole resource used on this project, and will deliver ALL of the tasks in EACH milestone.
In summary, after the 46% cost deduction for providing higher value, the final budget retained for each milestone is as per below:
Final total budget (after deductions): ₳99,000, at an average of ₳70 per hour
How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?
The TruBot project delivers high-impact, one-off value by resolving a key barrier holding Cardano back from DeFi leadership: the inability to offer secure, automated AI trading without compromising self-custody. Competing ecosystems like Ethereum and Solana are capturing attention with AI-powered bots, yet their models are still custodial, cloud-based, and relatively nascent. Cardano now has a rare opportunity to leapfrog these efforts by becoming the **first blockchain ecosystem to offer truly decentralised AI trading **— combining non-custodial wallet control, local AI execution, and on-chain DeFi integration.
This is not a marginal improvement — it is a paradigm shift. By offering an institutional-grade, self-sovereign trading tool to individual users, we not only empower Cardano traders but open the door to significant capital inflows, increased on-chain activity, and visibility across the broader crypto and trading communities. This is the type of high-value project that Catalyst was designed to fund: one that transforms a constraint into a competitive edge.
The project is scoped for delivery in 154 working days, translating into a modest budget relative to its impact. With an agreed rate of ₳70/hour — far below the commercial rate for high-level software architecture and development—the total funding requested represents less than 2.5% of the available funds in the Launch category. This low-cost, high-impact combination makes it one of the most cost-efficient proposals in the round.
Eric, the project’s lead and sole developer, brings 30+ years of experience in building mission-critical systems. He has delivered enterprise platforms for over 20% of the Fortune 500 and for government-scale deployments serving over 1 million users. Based in the UK, his market rate is several times higher than the one used for this proposal. His involvement ensures world-class design and implementation at a fraction of the usual cost.
The project carries minimal financial and technical risk:
Compared to many funded Catalyst projects that fail due to complexity, over-reliance on untested teams, or under-scoped planning, this project is low-risk, fully defined, and ready to execute immediately upon approval.
The codebase will be released as open-source, creating a valuable set of building blocks for the Cardano developer community. These include:
These assets will be freely available, enabling further Catalyst-funded innovation and accelerating the development of advanced, user-centric financial tools across the ecosystem.
Catalyst has funded many promising ideas, but unfortunately, many remain incomplete or undelivered, resulting in unspent budgets and limited real-world impact. Eric is not one of those cases. With five Catalyst-funded projects successfully completed, his track record speaks for itself. He understands not only how to design and build ambitious tools but also how to scope, deliver, and document them on time and within budget.
This proposal therefore represents an investment in proven capability, not just potential. Every ADA spent has a direct path to value creation.
By funding this project, the Cardano ecosystem will gain:
The proposal’s cost is modest, the risk is low, the lead is proven, and the value is potentially game-changing. As such, we believe this project offers one of the best value-for-money opportunities in the current Catalyst round.
Will you back a less than ₳100,000 investment for redefining DeFi on Cardano?
Terms and Conditions:
Yes
The TruBot project is led by Eric Duneau, a senior technologist, architect, and entrepreneur with over 30 years of software development experience, including CEO/CTO roles in a $30M software company he co-founded and successfully exited in 2019. Since then, Eric has dedicated his efforts to building AI and blockchain infrastructure — with a particular focus on AI and Cardano since 2022.
Eric has independently won and fully delivered FIVE Catalyst-funded projects, all executed end-to-end with no subcontractors:
Each project demonstrates Eric’s command of:
This current proposal is the culmination of two years of dedicated work, building the foundational components — both technically and conceptually — required for a non-custodial, AI-powered trading bot on Cardano, a project which has the potential to change the course of Cardano DeFi.
Eric will personally handle every aspect of this project: architecture, development, testing, security, AI integration, and documentation. This eliminates common risks such as miscommunication between teams, contractor churn, or delays due to budget dependencies.
The project is fully costed in terms of delivery setup, with no exposure to fiat/ADA exchange volatility. Whatever the future price of ADA, this project be delivered. With 154 working days allocated across 12 months, the timeline is realistic and generous, allowing space for iteration, feedback, and rigorous testing. It is highly advantageous to have the assurance of a stable financial setup for the project right from the start.
While some may perceive solo delivery as a risk, in practice this structure has outperformed larger teams within Catalyst. For example, Sign-in with Cardano (Fund 8), delivered entirely by Eric, has progressed further than similar proposals by multi-member teams — many of which have not even yet shipped.
By contrast, Eric’s record shows:
It is crucial to assess the consistent track record of successful deliveries of the applicant, with FIVE PROJECTS DELIVERED, or 100% of all commitments taken in front of the community, rather than solely focusing on the sole founder aspect.
Eric’s approach is rooted in honesty, openness, and long-term commitment. He is not here to capture funds or seek short-term profits, but to deliver transformative tools aligned with his personal mission of decentralised empowerment.
The Cardano community can trust this proposal because:
With a fully accountable lead, a flawless Catalyst track record, and no third-party risk, this project offers unmatched delivery credibility — exactly what the Cardano ecosystem needs for high-impact infrastructure projects.
Building upon past successes, this project will not only contribute to the growth and advancement of Cardano, but could very well give a huge boost to Cardano DeFi and accelerate user adoption with de-facto daily usage of Cardano by AI Bots on behalf of the user.