RGB Protocol Association Organizes a Hackathon with Tether as Main Sponsor
RGB Protocol Association is hosting Agentic Dollars on Bitcoin, a two-day Bitcoin hackathon in Turin, Italy, with Tether as main sponsor, where teams will build self-custodial dollar apps on RGB Protocol on Bitcoin, incorporating AI models that run locally on-device.
In Brief
- A two-day hackathon in Turin, October 17-18, 2026, hosted at BLOX, with Tether as main sponsor.
- RGB is required for every project, alongside Tether’s local-AI stack QVAC. Using Tether’s WDK for self-custodial wallets is optional and earns bonus points.
- Applications are open through October 3, 2026, for teams of two to four (solo applicants welcome).
- €6,000 in prizes, plus a guaranteed spot in the semifinals of CypherTank, a Bitcoin-focused pitch and funding program, for first place.
What Is Agentic Dollars on Bitcoin?
Agentic Dollars on Bitcoin is a weekend hackathon dedicated to self-custodial dollar applications powered by local AI agents, keeping both the financial logic and the AI inference private and capable of running offline, with Bitcoin as the settlement layer underneath.
The event will be hosted on October 17-18, 2026, at BLOX in Turin. Tether is the main sponsor, with Atlas21 as media partner and BitPolito as local partner.
The event is free to attend, with cover for meals.
Why RGB and Tether Are Core to the Weekend
Every project at the hackathon is judged on five criteria, and RGB usage is the first one: how real and correct the integration with RGB is, based on working transactions rather than simulated ones.
RGB Protocol lets builders issue, transfer, and verify digital dollars on Bitcoin, using client-side validation to keep the asset’s data off-chain and in the hands of the parties involved, rather than broadcasting to the entire network. Paired with QVAC for on-device AI inference, a project can manage users’ money while keeping both the financial logic and the model outside of any third-party server.
What Will Developers Actually Build?
The hackathon opens the path towards four directions:
- Payments and checkout: invoicing, payroll, cross-border flows.
- Self-custodial digital dollar apps: wallets, savings, shared accounts.
- Private financial intelligence: on-device budgeting and fraud alerts.
- Autonomous economic agents: local AI that proposes, the user approves.
No prior Bitcoin experience is required. Recorded tutorials for RGB, QVAC, and WDK will go live for every applicant before the event, and mentors will be on site across both days.
More updates are going to be published on this blog when more materials will be shared.
How Do You Apply?
- Now through October 3: applications open, with background and project idea.
- September 24: tool tutorials published for applicants.
- October 3-12: team selection and confirmation.
- October 13: live technical Q&A session with mentors.
- October 17-18: the hackathon itself, in Turin, with demos and awards on Sunday.
Full details, the event program, and the application form are on the event page.
