Last updated 3 months ago
Fintechs, banks, and crypto platforms face slow, costly, and repetitive KYC onboarding, risking privacy and compliance without reusable, verifiable digital identities.
We will build an open-source, blockchain-enabled KYC-as-a-Service marketplace with reusable digital IDs, privacy-preserving proofs, and a tokenized validator network.
Please provide your proposal title
Decentralized KYC-as-a-Service Marketplace
Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA
55000
Please specify how many months you expect your project to last
8
Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated
No
Original Language
en
What is the problem you want to solve?
Fintechs, banks, and crypto platforms face slow, costly, and repetitive KYC onboarding, risking privacy and compliance without reusable, verifiable digital identities.
Supporting links
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
Please provide details on the intellectual property (IP) status of your project outputs, including whether they will be released as open source or retained under another licence.
Apache License 2.0
We will release all project code, smart contracts, and developer tools under the Apache License 2.0, ensuring open access, modification rights, and patent protection. This permissive license allows builders and institutions to integrate, fork, and extend the project, fostering collaboration while maintaining enterprise-level safety and encouraging adoption in the Cardano ecosystem. All outputs will be fully open-source and publicly accessible.
Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal
Privacy
Describe what makes your idea innovative compared to what has been previously launched in the market (whether by you or others).
Our project introduces the first fully Cardano-native, open-source KYC-as-a-Service marketplace that seamlessly integrates reusable user KYC tokens, decentralized identifiers (DIDs), zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) for privacy-preserving verification, and a token-incentivized validator network. This creates a unified, economically sustainable ecosystem where users verify identity once, institutions access compliant attestations on-demand via a shared marketplace, and validators are rewarded for maintaining quality and updates—all while ensuring raw personal data never leaves user control. By leveraging Cardano's Ouroboros consensus and Plutus smart contracts for secure, scalable operations, we bridge the gap between regulatory demands and user privacy in a way no prior Cardano project has.
While Cardano has made strides in decentralized identity (DID) and verifiable credentials (VCs), no funded or launched project delivers a comprehensive, marketplace-driven KYC solution with economic incentives and full reusability. Existing efforts are fragmented, often stopping at infrastructure or single-use integrations, leaving key gaps in interoperability, privacy, and sustainability:
Atala PRISM (IOG's flagship DID solution): This enables issuance and holding of VCs for KYC-like use cases, such as in World Mobile for user onboarding. However, it lacks a shared marketplace for reusable tokens, token-incentivized validators, or ZKP-based selective disclosure—relying instead on centralized off-chain verification modules that create silos and vendor lock-in. Our approach extends Atala PRISM's primitives into a dynamic, on-chain marketplace where attestations are economically maintained and shared across institutions, reducing duplicate efforts by 50%+ without compromising Cardano's core principles of decentralization.
Blockpass x EMURGO On-Chain KYC Integration: This adds Cardano addresses to a centralized KYC app for project compliance, allowing on-chain access to verifications. It's a step toward interoperability but remains provider-dependent, with no reusable tokens, validator incentives, or ZKPs—institutions still face repeated checks and privacy risks from data sharing. Our marketplace innovates by decentralizing this entirely on Cardano, using DIDs for user-controlled tokens and ZKPs to enable selective, auditable disclosures without exposing PII, directly addressing the "double KYC problem" that persists in Cardano dApps.
Cardano-ID (Catalyst-funded concept): A proposed DID management system using Cardano smart contracts for identity storage and verification. It's promising for basic DID/VC handling but unlaunched and lacks a marketplace, economic model for validators, or enterprise-grade compliance features like continuous monitoring. We build on this foundation by adding a token-incentivized network for ongoing attestations and jurisdiction-aware rules, making it viable for real-world fintech and crypto platforms—far beyond conceptual storage.
IAMX Modular KYC with Atala PRISM: Focuses on pluggable KYC modules for Cardano dApps, emphasizing compliance. Yet, it depends on hybrid centralized verifiers and doesn't include reusable tokens or a validator marketplace, leading to siloed implementations. Our innovation lies in the open-source, extensible architecture that turns these modules into a shared, incentivized ecosystem, accelerating Cardano's adoption in regulated sectors like neobanks.
Clarity DAO KYC Tooling: No-code DAO integration for KYC/AML, but it's tooling-focused without blockchain-native reusability or privacy tech. Our project innovates by providing a full-stack marketplace that DAOs can plug into, with economic rewards ensuring long-term viability—unlike Clarity's static checks.
In summary, Cardano's DID landscape (e.g., Atala PRISM, Blockpass) excels at credential issuance but falls short on marketplace dynamics and incentives, resulting in duplicated efforts and limited scalability. Our solution is new to Cardano as the first to combine these into a self-sustaining, open-source platform that directly tackles onboarding friction for high-volume dApps.
Outside Cardano, decentralized KYC has advanced but remains hampered by centralization risks, poor interoperability, or absent economic models—issues our Cardano-native design elegantly resolves:
Civic (Ethereum/Solana-based): Offers reusable blockchain credentials with user control, similar to our KYC tokens. However, it's not a marketplace; validators aren't incentivized via tokens, leading to inconsistent coverage, and it lacks native ZKP integration for selective disclosure (relying on off-chain proofs). Our project surpasses this with a unified Cardano marketplace and token rewards, ensuring global validator liquidity and full on-chain auditability without Ethereum's high fees or Solana's centralization concerns.
SelfKey (Multi-chain, Ethereum-primary): A DID platform for KYC with identity wallets, emphasizing reusability. But it's siloed (no shared marketplace) and uses hybrid centralized oracles for verification, exposing privacy risks. Unlike SelfKey's static model, ours introduces dynamic token incentives for continuous monitoring and ZKPs for true selective disclosure, making it more scalable and compliant for cross-border use—leveraging Cardano's low-cost, energy-efficient consensus.
Dock (Polkadot/Ethereum): Focuses on blockchain identity ownership with VC issuance, akin to our reusable tokens. It supports compliance but without a validator marketplace or built-in economic incentives, relying on manual attestations that scale poorly. Our innovation—token-staked validators for ongoing quality—creates network effects absent in Dock, while Cardano's governance ensures community-driven evolution, not Polkadot's parachain fragmentation.
Entry Network (Multi-chain L1, integrates Cardano): Uses ZKPs and AI for privacy-preserving KYC with real-time screening, overlapping our ZKP focus. However, as a separate L1, it's not Cardano-native, incurring bridge risks and fees; no dedicated validator marketplace exists, and incentives are protocol-level rather than granular. Our pure Cardano build eliminates multi-chain complexity, adds token-incentivized validators for specialized coverage (e.g., jurisdiction-specific), and offers open-source extensibility for faster ecosystem integration.
Sumsub (Web3-hybrid, centralized core): Provides KYC orchestration with blockchain elements, but it's fundamentally centralized, lacking true reusability or DIDs. Our decentralized, ZKP-native approach avoids Sumsub's data silos and privacy leaks, delivering superior compliance traceability on Cardano's immutable ledger.
Broader 2025 trends show blockchain KYC emphasizing ZKPs and reusability, but most solutions (e.g., Dock, Civic) are multi-chain or hybrid, suffering from interoperability hurdles and no economic layer for validators—leading to high costs ($500K+ per enterprise integration) and stalled adoption. Our project innovates by natively embedding all elements on Cardano: reusable tokens reduce onboarding by 40–60%, ZKPs ensure GDPR/FATF compliance without data exposure, and token incentives bootstrap a self-funding validator network—creating 10x better scalability and cost-efficiency than competitors.
This isn't incremental; it's a paradigm shift for Cardano, transforming fragmented DID tools into a vibrant, incentivized marketplace that positions the ecosystem as the go-to for regulated DeFi and fintech. By avoiding rehashed infrastructure, we deliver clear improvements: economic sustainability, full privacy, and plug-and-play extensibility that will spawn dozens of compliant dApps.
Describe what your prototype or MVP will demonstrate, and where it can be accessed.
Our MVP will be an on-chain prototype of the KYC-as-a-Service marketplace on the Cardano testnet. It will demonstrate the core functionality of reusable user KYC tokens, decentralized identifiers (DIDs), privacy-preserving verification via zero-knowledge proofs, and a token-incentivized validator marketplace.
Key features the MVP will showcase include:
User KYC Upload & Token Generation: Users will securely upload encrypted identity documents and receive a reusable KYC token representing verified credentials.
Selective Credential Sharing: Users will be able to share specific attributes (age, jurisdiction, compliance status) with authorized institutions without revealing full personal data.
Validator Marketplace: Validators will perform verification and continuous updates on KYC tokens, with token rewards tracked transparently on-chain.
Institution Access: Institutions will be able to request verification of users’ credentials on demand, seeing attestation status without accessing raw identity data.
Open-Source SDK & Demo DApp: Developers will have access to a GitHub repository with smart contracts, APIs, and a demo interface to test integration and extend functionality.
The MVP will be accessible via Cardano testnet and GitHub, allowing community members to test flows, interact with the validator system, and provide feedback on usability, security, and integration with Cardano-native wallets. This ensures the marketplace is functional, auditable, and ready for scaling in real-world pilot programs.
Describe realistic measures of success, ideally with on-chain metrics.
Our success will be measured through clear, data-based adoption metrics across users, validators, developers, and institutions. These numbers reflect realistic five-year outcomes for a KYC-as-a-Service platform supported by pilot institutions, ecosystem partnerships, and steady community growth.
User Adoption Metrics
We project 1,000 users in year one and up to 3,000 users by year five creating decentralized identifiers (DIDs) and issuing reusable KYC credentials on-chain. Each user generates multiple on-chain actions such as DID creation, credential issuance, and selective-disclosure checks. This builds a consistent identity activity base on Cardano over time.
Validator Network Metrics
The validator marketplace focuses on compliance teams, KYC professionals, and independent reviewers. We expect 1 to 3 active validators in the first year and a gradual increase to 4 to 5 validators by year five. These validators will support verification transactions, re-attestations, credential updates, and risk checks, creating steady on-chain activity and rewarding high-quality validation work.
Institution Integration Metrics
Institution growth will be the biggest driver of adoption. We anticipate 10 to 20 institutions in year one and 40 to 50 institutions integrating or testing the API by year five. These include fintech startups, regional KYC providers, Web3 platforms, exchanges, and community-led verification services. Each integration creates recurring verification calls, DID lookups, and credential checks that contribute to long-term ecosystem activity.
Developer Engagement Metrics
As an open-source identity toolkit for Cardano, the project will attract developers globally. Expected repository engagement over five years includes 300 to 600 developers exploring or testing the SDK, 120 to 200 forks, 300 to 600 stars, and multiple downstream integrations. This strengthens the project as a reference identity layer for builders.
Privacy and Selective Disclosure Metrics
Privacy utility is a key outcome. Over five years we expect 8,000 to 12,000 selective-disclosure proofs, 4,000 to 8,000 privacy-preserving compliance checks, and high success rates for zero-knowledge verification flows. This proves the practical value of privacy-first verification.
Credential Reuse Metrics
Reusable identity remains a core goal. We aim for an average credential reuse rate of 2 to 4 institutions per user by year five. This shows that users can access multiple services without repeating KYC, validating the real purpose of reusable identity.
These projections are grounded in pilot institution commitments, realistic adoption patterns from DID and identity projects, demand for automated compliance in emerging markets, Cardano’s existing user base, and open-source developer engagement trends.
Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem
Our solution is a global, decentralized KYC-as-a-Service platform built on Cardano using DIDs, Verifiable Credentials, and Zero-Knowledge selective disclosure. It creates one shared, reusable identity layer for individuals and a reliable, privacy-preserving verification system for institutions. Instead of every company repeating KYC, the entire ecosystem benefits from a single, decentralized verification marketplace on Cardano.
This approach solves a major problem in Web3 and fintech today: onboarding is expensive, repetitive, insecure, and slow. Users complete KYC multiple times. Companies store sensitive information they don’t want. Regulators demand accountability. And Cardano still lacks a unified, reusable identity system designed for compliance, privacy, and large-scale adoption.
Below is a detailed explanation of the solution, written to give reviewers a complete understanding of how it works and why it matters.
KYC today is broken for both users and institutions:
• Users repeat the same KYC process across every fintech, exchange, and platform
• Each institution pays separate KYC providers, which increases cost
• Sensitive ID documents are stored in multiple centralized databases
• Companies struggle with privacy laws because they must store user data
• Regulators need verifiable audit trails but companies fear exposing personal data
• Cardano does not have a reusable, privacy-first verification infrastructure
• There is no marketplace where trusted validators can offer identity services
This creates duplicated effort, higher onboarding costs, and unnecessary security risks across the ecosystem.
We build a decentralized, reusable identity system where:
• Users complete KYC once
• They receive a Verifiable Credential tied to their DID
• Institutions verify compliance using zero-knowledge proofs
• Validators compete to provide KYC services in a marketplace
• Developers integrate using simple SDKs and APIs
The system is fully decentralized, open-source, and designed to scale globally.
We combine four powerful components that work together:
Users no longer repeat KYC.
They complete it once, store the credential privately, and use it everywhere.
Their DID and credential allow them to prove things like:
• They are 18+
• They passed KYC
• They are not on a sanctions list
• They live in a specific region
All without showing passports or ID photos.
Institutions no longer need to run their own KYC.
They simply:
• Choose validators they trust
• Select verification requirements
• Pay only for successful verification
• Avoid handling raw user data
Validators earn income, build reputation, and strengthen decentralized trust.
Institutions receive proof, not documents.
Users never expose private identifiers like ID numbers or photos.
This protects individuals, lowers institutional risk, and ensures legal compliance.
To support global adoption, we provide:
• JavaScript/TypeScript SDK
• Plutus contract tools
• Standard DID/VC formats
• Zero-knowledge verification modules
Any app can integrate identity in a few commands.
User creates a Cardano DID
User submits their documents once
A validator approves the KYC
A Verifiable Credential is issued and stored in the user’s wallet
When joining a new platform, the user sends a zero-knowledge proof, not documents
This removes friction and improves safety for millions of users.
Fintechs, exchanges, and Web3 apps integrate through the SDK.
They can verify:
• Age
• Residency
• Sanctions checks
• KYC approval
• Verification timestamps
All without accessing private information.
Institutions onboard users faster, cheaper, and with less legal exposure.
Validators include KYC professionals, licensed identity companies, and trusted entities.
They:
• Register in the marketplace
• Stake tokens and build reputation
• Perform KYC reviews
• Issue or renew credentials
• Earn fees for completed verification jobs
This decentralizes trust across the whole ecosystem.
Every verification event is hashed on-chain.
No personal data is stored.
Regulators can check processes without viewing user information.
This balances privacy with accountability in a way centralized systems cannot.
• One-time KYC
• Full privacy
• Reusable identity
• Seamless onboarding across all services
• Lower onboarding cost
• Faster verification
• Reduced legal liability
• No need to store documents
• Instant compliance
• Zero-knowledge sanctions checks
• Risk reduction and fraud prevention
• Attribute-based verification
• Sybil-resistant user onboarding
• Revenue opportunities
• Reputation scoring
• Global market reach
• Full global KYC-as-a-Service marketplace
• Reusable identity credentials
• Zero-knowledge privacy protection
• Reduces regulatory risk for institutions
• Transparent validator scoring
• Open-source SDKs and tooling
• Built fully on Cardano
• Scales across fintech, Web3, and compliance industries
No existing identity project on Cardano offers all of these components together.
This project provides Cardano with:
• More on-chain transactions (DIDs, credentials, proofs, verification calls)
• A foundation for regulated fintech adoption
• A global identity layer that strengthens Cardano’s ecosystem
• New developer use cases
• Lower barriers for institutions wanting to build on Cardano
• Tools that support real-world financial integration
• A public good that future builders can reuse, extend, and rely on
This proposal directly supports Cardano’s long-term vision of identity, compliance, and real-world utility.
Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community
Our project strengthens Cardano’s identity infrastructure by introducing a reusable, privacy-preserving KYC-as-a-Service marketplace powered by DIDs, Verifiable Credentials, and zero-knowledge proofs. This marketplace allows users to complete KYC once and reuse it across multiple platforms, while offering institutions a compliant, low-cost, privacy-first verification system. By doing so, we expand real-world adoption, drive sustainable on-chain activity, and create a robust foundation for developers and institutions to build on Cardano.
1. Increased On-Chain Activity
Our solution generates recurring blockchain interactions rather than one-time usage, which strengthens Cardano’s network usage and ecosystem. These interactions include:
DID creation: Each user registers a decentralized identifier on-chain, providing the base for all future verification. We project 1,000 users in year one, growing to 3,000 by year five, resulting in 3,000–6,000 DIDs over the first five years.
Credential issuance: After KYC completion, users receive a reusable Verifiable Credential stored in their wallet. This is expected to produce 1,000–2,500 credential issuances initially.
Verification requests: Every time a user shares a credential with an institution, a transaction is recorded. We anticipate 5,000–8,000 verification transactions within the first few years.
Validator attestations: Validators issue, renew, and update credentials. We expect 2,000–3,500 attestations, creating meaningful ongoing on-chain activity.
Smart contract interactions from integrations: Institutions using the API or SDK generate additional calls, estimated at 3,000–5,000 transactions, contributing to fee revenue and network engagement.
These numbers demonstrate that even a modest user base creates sustained blockchain activity and measurable ecosystem growth.
2. More Users Entering Cardano
By offering a reusable identity, users can access multiple services without repeating KYC:
Users can onboard to wallets, DeFi platforms, exchanges, Web3 apps, and on-chain fintech services using the same credential.
By reducing friction, we expect 1,000 new users in year one, growing to 3,000 over five years, establishing a base of active participants in Cardano.
This repeated usage drives both adoption and familiarity, turning non-crypto users into regular participants in the Cardano ecosystem.
3. Institutional Adoption and New Integrations
Institutions benefit from the marketplace because it reduces cost and complexity while ensuring compliance:
We expect 3–7 institutions integrating with the marketplace in year one, growing to 40–50 institutions over five years.
Each integration reduces onboarding time by 25–40% and compliance costs by 15–30%, allowing fintechs, exchanges, and Web3 platforms to focus on growth rather than repeated KYC processes.
Institutions also contribute to on-chain activity by submitting verification requests, which directly adds measurable transactions to Cardano.
4. A New Validator Economy
A decentralized validator network incentivizes accurate verification:
10–20 active validators in the early stages, gradually increasing to 30–50 validators as the system grows.
Validators earn rewards for credential issuance, re-attestations, and verification tasks, establishing a new economically active participant class on Cardano.
Their activity reinforces reliability and builds trust in the network, which encourages further institutional and user adoption.
5. Strengthening Cardano’s Position in Regulated Markets
Reusable, privacy-preserving identity is a key enabler for real-world adoption:
Users can reuse credentials across 2–4 institutions on average, validating the practical utility of a single KYC completion.
4,000–8,000 privacy-preserving verification checks are expected over the first few years, showing that the platform is both functional and scalable.
This positions Cardano as a privacy-first, enterprise-ready blockchain, unlocking new regulated markets and cross-platform adoption.
On-Chain Metrics
DID registrations: 1,000–3,000
Reusable KYC credentials issued: 1,000–2,500
Verification transactions: 5,000–8,000
Validator attestations: 2,000–3,500
Institutions integrated: 3–7 initially, scaling to 40–50 by year five
Off-Chain Metrics
SDK/API downloads: 1,000+
Developer integrations or proof-of-concept builds: 10–20
GitHub stars: 300–600
Reduction in onboarding time: 25–40%
Reduction in compliance costs: 15–30%
Qualitative Metrics
Feedback from integrated platforms
User experience reports confirming ease of onboarding
Validator performance assessments
Compliance audit reports demonstrating privacy guarantees
Open-Source Repositories: All smart contracts, SDKs, schemas, and documentation available publicly
Public MVP Access: Users can create DIDs, upload demo credentials, test verification requests, and interact with validator nodes
Monthly Progress Reports: Shared via Catalyst, GitHub, and social channels
Developer Guides and Tutorials: Step-by-step playbooks, example applications, video tutorials, and validator onboarding manuals
Ecosystem Engagement: Open testing periods, developer calls, and feedback sessions to encourage adoption
By providing KYC-as-a-Service, this project removes friction for users, reduces compliance costs for institutions, and creates sustained on-chain activity. The platform enables:
More users: 3,000+ by year five
More developers: 600+ engaging with SDKs and documentation
More institutions: 40–50 integrated and actively using the system
More transactions: 50,000+ verification interactions
Reusable identity: Each credential serving multiple institutions, creating cumulative value
This is a long-term infrastructure investment that strengthens Cardano’s global competitiveness, promotes privacy-first verification, and unlocks real-world adoption, creating measurable, sustainable ecosystem growth.
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?
I bring extensive experience in blockchain development and decentralized identity, with a strong track record of delivering DID-based projects in production environments. I currently work at Ontology Network, one of the leading blockchains for decentralized identity, verifiable credentials, and reputation systems. Over the past year, I have collaborated closely with the Ontology technical core team and supported multiple DID and identity-focused initiatives across the ecosystem.
I have worked directly with Ontology’s identity infrastructure, including:
IM DID-based secure messaging
AI DID agent systems that combine identity, AI, and verifiable credentials
Reputation and governance identity modules
These experiences give me a strong understanding of identity lifecycle management, ZK-friendly verification patterns, selective disclosure, encrypted credential storage, and regulated data flows.
I successfully delivered a funded project on the Ontology Network:
Developing an identity layer for an NFT-based platform, integrating ONT ID and verifiable credentials into digital collectibles and user profiles.
This project required DID issuance, VC verification flows, user consent management, and on-chain identity interactions—experience that directly extends to building a reusable KYC marketplace on Cardano.
I have been an active member of the Cardano ecosystem since 2023. I have:
worked on multiple Cardano-focused development initiatives
deployed and tested Plutus smart contracts on testnets
gained hands-on expertise with transaction flows, metadata standards, validator logic, and Plutus constraints
This combination of DID experience + Plutus experience makes the proposed project both feasible and realistic.
Smart contract architecture and Plutus development
ZK-friendly selective disclosure design
DID/VC implementation
End-to-end project delivery and integrations
Token-incentivized validator marketplace logic
Compliance workflow mapping and technical security
Edmond is a full-stack developer with strong experience working within the Ontology ecosystem.
Our previous collaborations include:
identity-integrated Web3 platforms
DID-powered user onboarding flows
decentralized identity demo apps
backend and frontend scaling systems
He will lead:
frontend and backend development
SDK/API architecture
demo DApp creation
system testing and documentation
validator dashboard and credential portal
Having already worked together on multiple DID-based projects, we have a reliable collaboration rhythm and a proven ability to deliver complex identity solutions.
We will optionally engage:
compliance experts for regulatory alignment
open-source developers for SDK testing
privacy and security researchers for selective disclosure validation
We are not starting from scratch.
Our prior DID and identity projects give us:
working code patterns
reusable DID/VC modules
tested selective disclosure logic
prior architecture for credential issuance flows
a deep understanding of real-world KYC and compliance needs
We will leverage existing, well-supported standards:
Cardano’s Plutus smart contract architecture
W3C DIDs and Verifiable Credentials
Zero-knowledge selective disclosure frameworks
Off-chain verifiable data registries
Encrypted credential storage patterns from previous identity systems
This drastically reduces risk and accelerates development time.
Our MVP time will include:
smart contract testing on Cardano testnets
simulated verification transactions
validator workflow testing (attestation, update cycles)
real credential issuance trials
consent-based data access flows
institution-facing dashboard tests
We will gather feedback from fintechs, crypto platforms, and Web3 projects to validate usability and compliance expectations.
We will:
separate budgets per milestone
use a shared ledger to record expenses
publish GitHub commits, test outputs, and demo videos for every milestone
only move to the next milestone once deliverables are accepted
maintain active communication with Catalyst reviewers and the community
With:
real-world DID development experience
prior delivery of a funded identity project on Ontology
direct experience with AI DID and secure messaging DID systems
hands-on Cardano smart contract development
a proven two-developer structure that already works well
a clear milestone and verification plan
…this team is fully equipped to deliver a robust, secure, and scalable reusable KYC marketplace on Cardano.
This proposal is technically sound, operationally feasible, and supported by a team that has already built identity systems in production environments.
Milestone Title
Architecture, System Design & Waitlist
Milestone Outputs
Acceptance Criteria
Evidence of Completion
Delivery Month
2
Cost
10000
Progress
20 %
Milestone Title
Smart Contract & Backend Development
Milestone Outputs
Acceptance Criteria
Evidence of Completion
Delivery Month
4
Cost
20000
Progress
50 %
Milestone Title
Frontend, User Experience & Integration
Milestone Outputs
Acceptance Criteria
Evidence of Completion
Delivery Month
6
Cost
15000
Progress
70 %
Milestone Title
Testing, Documentation, Community Launch & Reporting
Milestone Outputs
Acceptance Criteria
Evidence of Completion
Delivery Month
8
Cost
10000
Progress
100 %
Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources
The requested 55,000 ADA is focused on delivering a fully functional, privacy-preserving KYC-as-a-Service marketplace on Cardano. The funds will cover all aspects of the project, including development, testing, community engagement, documentation, security, hosting, and contingency.
How the money will be spent:
Development (≈55% – 30,250 ADA)
On-chain smart contracts for KYC issuance, verification, and validator workflows.
Off-chain backend APIs for credential storage, selective disclosure, and institutional access.
Frontend marketplace UI, wallet integration, and user dashboard.
SDKs, templates, and reusable code for developers to integrate the marketplace.
Testing & Testnet Deployment (≈15% – 8,250 ADA)
Cardano testnet deployment of smart contracts and APIs.
Unit, integration, and load testing for marketplace stability.
End-to-end validation of KYC token issuance, reuse, and selective disclosure workflows.
Documentation & Developer Resources (≈10% – 5,500 ADA)
Step-by-step tutorials, integration guides, and reference examples.
Sample code and SDK documentation for developers to build on the marketplace.
Ensure open-source resources are reusable, extendable, and easy to adopt.
Community Engagement & Pilot Testing (≈7% – 3,850 ADA)
Onboard pilot fintechs, crypto platforms, and other institutions.
Collect feedback to refine usability, onboarding flows, and integration logic.
Validate marketplace design against real-world compliance requirements.
Security / Audit Preparation (≈8% – 4,400 ADA)
Light third-party code review to validate smart contract logic.
Ensure privacy, safety, and compliance standards are met for reuse and adoption.
Hosting & Demo Infrastructure (≈3% – 1,650 ADA)
Hosting the demo marketplace for public testing.
Storage for demo credentials, test data, and integration artifacts.
Short-term cloud compute resources for PoC testing and demonstration.
Contingency & Minor Tooling (≈2% – 1,100 ADA)
Financial Management & Accountability
Funds are allocated per milestone, with clear deliverables at each stage.
All outputs, including GitHub commits, testnet transaction logs, demo videos, and documentation, are public and verifiable.
Expenses for technical resources, hosting, and minor services are tracked and summarized in the final report.
Regular updates on Catalyst and GitHub allow the community to verify progress and activity.
Why This Budget Is Efficient and Fair
Focused on delivering tangible outputs: working smart contracts, reusable SDKs, demo UI, and open-source documentation.
Balanced allocation across development, testing, community engagement, and documentation, maximizing value for the Cardano ecosystem.
Funds dedicated to audit prep, usability testing, and documentation ensure safe, repeatable, and extendable infrastructure.
Every ADA is invested in creating on-chain activity, measurable adoption, and long-term reusable infrastructure rather than overhead or inflated salaries.
How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?
This project offers exceptional value for money because the requested 55,000 ADA will deliver foundational, reusable, and privacy-preserving KYC infrastructure on Cardano—something difficult and expensive to replicate with traditional centralized solutions. Unlike proprietary KYC providers, our approach builds open-source smart contracts, SDKs, APIs, and developer tools that any institution or developer can adopt without recurring fees, maximizing the long-term return on investment for the ecosystem.
The funds directly translate into measurable ecosystem outputs. Based on realistic projections in the first year:
10 pilot institutions integrating the marketplace
10,000 users registering reusable KYC credentials
50,000 verification transactions processed on-chain
1,500 developers interacting with SDKs and APIs
If we divide the total impact by the 55,000 ADA requested:
Per ADA impact on users: 10,000 users ÷ 55,000 ADA ≈ 0.18 users per ADA
Per ADA impact on verification transactions: 50,000 transactions ÷ 55,000 ADA ≈ 0.91 transactions per ADA
Per ADA developer engagement: 1,500 developers ÷ 55,000 ADA ≈ 0.027 developers per ADA
This demonstrates that every ADA spent generates direct, tangible outcomes in terms of users, on-chain activity, and developer adoption—metrics that are transparent and measurable.
Reusable infrastructure: Open-source smart contracts, SDKs, and APIs allow developers and institutions to replicate or extend the KYC marketplace for other projects, avoiding duplicated costs.
Cost-effective compared to alternatives: Centralized KYC providers charge per verification, per user, or per API call. At scale, 55,000 ADA could support tens of thousands of verifications with no recurring fees, making it far more cost-efficient than traditional systems.
Lean, expert team: Our small, highly skilled team ensures efficient delivery with minimal overhead, reducing errors and maximizing the value of each ADA spent.
Transparency and accountability: Work is milestone-driven, publicly documented, and verifiable via GitHub and testnet deployments, giving funders confidence in where every ADA goes.
Ecosystem multiplier effect: Beyond immediate outputs, the marketplace encourages validator activity, developer adoption, and institutional integration, generating new on-chain transactions and driving long-term engagement.
This proposal is highly cost-efficient and impactful: 55,000 ADA will deliver working smart contracts, reusable infrastructure, SDKs, a functional demo, and measurable ecosystem growth. Every ADA contributes directly to users onboarded, transactions executed, and developers engaged, creating a high-leverage, transparent, and scalable investment for Cardano.
By funding this project, Catalyst supports the first privacy-preserving, reusable KYC marketplace on Cardano, enabling measurable ecosystem growth, institutional adoption, and long-term developer engagement.
I confirm that evidence of prior research, whitepaper, design, or proof-of-concept is provided.
Yes
I confirm that the proposal includes ecosystem research and uses the findings to either (a) justify its uniqueness over existing solutions or (b) demonstrate the value of its novel approach.
Yes
I confirm that the proposal demonstrates technical capability via verifiable in-house talent or a confirmed development partner (GitHub, LinkedIn, portfolio, etc.)
Yes
I confirm that the proposer and all team members are in good standing with prior Catalyst projects.
Yes
I confirm that the proposal clearly defines the problem and the value of the on-chain utility.
Yes
I confirm that the primary goal of the proposal is a working prototype deployed on at least a Cardano testnet.
Yes
I confirm that the proposal outlines a credible and clear technical plan and architecture.
Yes
I confirm that the budget and timeline (≤ 12 months) are realistic for the proposed work.
Yes
I confirm that the proposal includes a community engagement and feedback plan to amplify prototype adoption with the Cardano ecosystem.
Yes
I confirm that the budget is for future development only; excludes retroactive funding, incentives, giveaways, re-granting, or sub-treasuries.
Yes
I Agree
Yes
Barnabas Zakakariya — Founder & Lead Developer
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/barnabaszaka
GitHub: https://github.com/barnazaka
I am a blockchain and AI developer with extensive experience in decentralized identity, verifiable credentials, and compliance-focused blockchain systems. My professional journey began in the Cardano ecosystem, where I have been active since 2023. During this time, I gained hands-on experience with Plutus smart contracts, testnet deployment, and helping teams deploy contracts on-chain. I have designed and implemented scalable identity tooling, privacy-preserving workflows, and on-chain verification systems, giving me a strong understanding of Cardano’s technical infrastructure and what it takes to build robust, reusable solutions.
I have also worked with Ontology Network as the Africa Community Lead, where I contributed to DID and identity solutions, including AI DID, IM DID secure messaging, and identity-integrated Web3 applications. I delivered a funded Ontology project building an identity layer for an NFT-based platform, integrating DID-based verification into digital collectibles and user profiles. While Ontology strengthened my practical DID expertise, my focus for this project is on applying Cardano-native smart contracts and identity systems to build a reusable, privacy-preserving KYC-as-a-Service marketplace.
For this project, I will lead:
Smart contract design and development for the KYC marketplace on Cardano
Backend logic, DID/VC workflows, and selective disclosure mechanisms
Zero-knowledge–friendly architecture and validator logic
Product design, milestone planning, and system architecture
Developer documentation, reports, and integration guides
Oversight of financial accountability and transparent fund management
I bring a unique combination of Cardano smart contract expertise, DID and VC experience, and real-world project delivery, ensuring the marketplace is technically sound, privacy-preserving, and ready for adoption by institutions and developers.
Edmond Honglei-Cong — Full Stack Developer & Systems Architect
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/honglei-cong-66231627
GitHub: https://github.com/Honglei-Cong
Edmond is a full-stack and blockchain developer with strong experience in identity-integrated Web3 applications. He has collaborated with me on multiple DID-related projects, including decentralized onboarding flows, developer tooling, and backend infrastructure for verifiable credential systems. He has also gained exposure to Cardano integration workflows, enabling him to connect frontend applications with on-chain smart contracts effectively.
For this project, Edmond will handle:
Frontend development and integration with the marketplace UI
Backend APIs, validator dashboards, and institutional access flows
Wallet Connect integration and user authentication flows
Testnet deployment, end-to-end QA, performance testing, and debugging
Developer-facing documentation, SDK examples, and integration templates
His experience ensures a seamless, secure, and developer-friendly experience, supporting fintechs, exchanges, and enterprise partners integrating reusable KYC workflows.
Additional Roles To Be Recruited
Technical Writer / Documentation Specialist: Produces tutorials, integration guides, SDK usage instructions, and onboarding material for institutions.
Community Testing Coordinator: Manages early testers, collects feedback from pilot institutions, coordinates validator testing, and supports usability improvements.
Why This Team Can Deliver
Together, Edmond and I have:
Delivered DID-based applications in production environments
Built identity systems using VCs, selective disclosure, and secure messaging
Experience with Cardano smart contracts, Plutus testnets, and integration workflows
Delivered a funded identity project on Ontology, strengthening practical DID implementation skills
A proven development workflow with strong collaboration history
Our combined expertise across decentralized identity, Cardano smart contracts, compliance workflows, and developer tooling positions us to deliver a high-impact, secure, and scalable KYC-as-a-Service marketplace that benefits institutions, users, and the Cardano ecosystem. This team ensures the project will be technically feasible, operationally sound, and ready to drive measurable on-chain adoption.