The Polkadot ecosystem is known for its innovation and collaborative spirit, which is reflected in the numerous bounties available for contributors. These bounties are designed to incentivize development, enhance security, and foster community engagement across the network. Below is a detailed overview of the top 20 bounties within the Polkadot ecosystem (list created by Lily Mendez, here), showcasing opportunities for developers, marketers, and community members to contribute to the network’s growth.
The Role of Bounties in the Polkadot Ecosystem
Bounties within the Polkadot ecosystem serve as a mechanism to fund essential tasks, incentivize contributions, and ensure the network’s continued development and security. They are often proposed by members of the community and approved through Polkadot’s decentralized governance system, OpenGov. These bounties are crucial for the Polkadot ecosystem’s growth, as they encourage participation from a diverse range of contributors, from developers to community organizers.
Related articles to learn more about Polkadot bounties system:
- How to Enhance Polkadot Bounties Transparency.
- Polkadot Bounties, Multisig & Proxies Guide by Adam Steeber.
Understanding the Bounty System
Before diving into the specific bounties, it’s essential to understand how the Polkadot bounty system works. Polkadot bounties are typically proposed on platforms like Polkassembly or Subsquare, where community members can discuss and vote on the proposals. Once approved, bounties are managed by curators who oversee the distribution of funds and ensure that the tasks are completed to the required standards. Many bounties are further divided into child bounties, allowing for more specific tasks to be addressed within the broader scope of the parent bounty.
Top 20 Polkadot Bounties: Opportunities for Contribution
The following sections will explore the top 40 bounties currently available within the Polkadot ecosystem, categorized by their focus areas, such as development, marketing, security, and community engagement. This post has been possible thanks to the previous work carried out by Lily Mendez compiling all the current bounties in the ecosystem and published on the Polkadot forum in a post to encourage transparency in bounties subsidized by the Polkadot Trasury.
!!NOTE: The list of Polkadot Bounties, especially their statuses and curators, tends to change frequently, so some data may not always be up to date.
1. Polkadot Pioneers Prize
Objective: The Polkadot Pioneers Prize is designed to encourage technical innovation within the Polkadot network. This bounty offers challenges in categories like zero-knowledge research and infrastructure improvements, with substantial rewards for successful contributions.
Key Details:
- Curators: Parity Technologies, Web3 Foundation, and other ecosystem partners.
- Status: Active
- Reward: DOT, worth approximately 18 million USD
- Related Links: Polkassembly
2. Anti-Scam Bounty
Objective: This bounty supporting the Polkadot AntiScam Team aims to fight against scams within the Polkadot ecosystem by addressing the issue from multiple angles, including community education and awareness.
Key Details:
- Curators: Michalis W3F
- Status: Active
- Scope: Includes child bounties focused on various aspects of anti-scam efforts.
- Related Links: Anti-Scam Team
3. Security Bug Bounty for Open Runtime Module Library (ORML)
Objective: This bounty focuses on identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities in the Open Runtime Module Library (ORML), a critical component used by parachains across Polkadot and Kusama ecosystems.
Key Details:
- Curators: Acala Foundation and Immunefi team wallet
- Status: Cancelled
- Reward: Up to 100,000 DOT
- Related Links: Polkassembly Bounty 13
4. Community Events Reward Bounty
Objective: This bounty rewards community-driven events within the Polkadot and Kusama ecosystems, encouraging more frequent and diverse community engagement.
Key Details:
- Curators: ChaosDAO, WebZero, and others
- Status: Active
- Scope: Child bounties for specific event-related tasks.
- Related Links: Polkassembly Bounty 17
5. Wasm Smart Contracts Bounty
Objective: This bounty supports the development of WebAssembly (Wasm) smart contracts on Polkadot parachains, funding the creation of canary dApps and toolings.
Key Details:
- Curators: Sota Watanabe and others
- Status: Active
- Scope: Includes funding for audited smart contract showcases and development libraries.
- Related Links: Polkassembly Bounty 19
6. Polkadot Assurance Legion Bounty
Objective: This bounty provides funding for rigorous audit procedures for selected Polkadot parachains, enhancing the network’s security.
Key Details:
- Curators: cl0w, Bryan Chen, and others
- Status: Active
- Scope: Child bounties for specific audit-related tasks.
- Related Links: Polkassembly Bounty 22
7. Moderation Team Bounty
Objective: This bounty incentivizes the Polkadot Moderation Team, a group of ambassadors who protect the community from fraudulent activities and maintain a respectful environment.
Key Details:
- Curators: FrankyWild and others
- Status: Active
- Reward: $112,320 for 6 months of work
- Related Links: Polkassembly Bounty 24
8. Polkadot Parachain Assets Onramp Bounty Program
Objective: This bounty funds the integration of fiat on-ramp services for Polkadot parachains, making it easier for new users to enter the ecosystem.
Key Details:
- Curators: Zhixi Interlay
- Status: Active
- Scope: Integration of Banxa’s fiat onramp service with Polkadot Asset Hub.
- Related Links: Polkassembly Bounty 17
9. Bounty Proposal for Public RPCs for Relay and System Chains
Objective: This bounty aims to secure affordable and reliable RPC services for the Polkadot and Kusama ecosystems, critical for the operation of dApps and wallets.
Key Details:
- Curators: Gustav and others
- Status: Active
- Reward: $400,000 budget for 12 months
- Related Links: Polkassembly Bounty 31
10. System Parachains Collator Bounty
Objective: This bounty funds collators on System Parachains, providing a monthly fiat fee to ensure the stability and operation of these essential components.
Key Details:
- Curators: Paradox, Tim Janssen, and others
- Status: Active
- Reward: $300 per month per collator
- Related Links: Polkassembly Bounty 32
11. Marketing Bounty Proposal
Objective: This bounty rewards marketing efforts within the Polkadot ecosystem, aiming to attract developers and increase public awareness of Polkadot’s capabilities.
Key Details:
- Curators: Giotto, Cris Nguyen, and others
- Status: Inactive
- Scope: Child bounties for specific marketing tasks.
- Related Links: Polkassembly Bounty 33
12. DeFi Infrastructure & Tooling Bounty
Objective: This bounty supports the development of infrastructure and tooling within Polkadot’s DeFi ecosystem, addressing critical gaps that hinder growth.
Key Details:
- Curators: Velocity Labs and others
- Status: Active
- Scope: Request for Proposals (RFPs) for specific development tasks.
- Related Links: Polkassembly Bounty 36
13. Paseo – Developer Testnet Funding
Objective: Paseo is a developer testnet launched to provide a stable environment for building on Polkadot, closely mirroring the production environment.
Key Details:
- Curators: Birdo, ChaosDAO, and others
- Status: Active
- Reward: 125,018 DOT ($850,000) for 1 year
- Related Links: Polkassembly Bounty 37
14. Games Bounty
Objective: This bounty aims to encourage indie game developers to build games on Polkadot, with funding provided in small milestones to minimize risk.
Key Details:
- Curators: Giotto and others (TBD)
- Status: Active
- Scope: Funding for game development on Polkadot.
- Related Links: Polkassembly Bounty 38
15. Business Development (BD) Bounty
Objective: This bounty focuses on business development for Polkadot, including outreach to potential partners and stakeholders in specific regions.
Key Details:
- Curators: Giotto, Ben Sheppard, and others
- Status: Active
- Scope: Includes child bounties for targeted business development initiatives.
- Related Links: Polkassembly Bounty 39
16. Bounty Proposal: Business Development Polkadot in Spain & Andorra
Objective: This bounty aims to attract business partners and develop new opportunities for Polkadot in the regions of Spain and Andorra.
Key Details:
- Curators: Albert, Georgi Ivanov, and Laura Boisán
- Status: Active
- Scope: Focused on regional business development initiatives.
- Related Links: Polkassembly Bounty 40
17. Spanish Bounty V2
Objective: The Spanish Bounty V2 incentivizes the creation of high-quality content and events tailored for the Spanish-speaking community within the Polkadot ecosystem.
Key Details:
- Curators: Albert, Ezio, Lorena, and others
- Status: Active
- Scope: Rewards content creators and event organizers in the Spanish-speaking community.
- Related Links: Polkassembly Bounty 42
18. Meetups Bounty
Objective: This bounty provides quick and flexible funding for meetups within the Polkadot ecosystem, enabling community members to organize small-scale events efficiently.
Key Details:
- Curators: Giotto and others
- Status: Active
- Reward: Up to $2,500 per meetup
- Related Links: Polkassembly Bounty 43
19. AMI Bounty Program
Objective: The AMI Bounty Program focuses on curating marketing, media, and advertising deliverables for the Polkadot brand, driven entirely by community members.
Key Details:
- Curators: Adam Steeber, Clinton Swan, and others
- Status: Canceled
- Scope: Includes child bounties for specific marketing and media tasks.
- Related Links: Polkassembly Bounty 46
20. Infrastructure Builders Program (IBP)
Objective: The Infrastructure Builders Program (IBP) aims to strengthen Polkadot’s network by offering RPC services to parachain teams, making it easier for new projects to build on the network.
Key Details:
- Curators: Amforc and others
- Status: Active
- Scope: Provides essential services to parachain teams to support network decentralization and growth.
- Related Links: Polkassembly Bounty 50
Conclusion: Unlocking Opportunities in Polkadot
The bounty system within the Polkadot ecosystem is a powerful tool that fosters innovation, collaboration, and growth. From securing the network to driving adoption and improving user experience, these bounties offer a wide range of opportunities for contributors across the globe. Whether you’re a developer, marketer, community leader, or security expert, there’s a bounty that matches your skills and interests, enabling you to make a meaningful impact within the Polkadot ecosystem.
As the Polkadot network continues to evolve, the bounty system will remain a cornerstone of its development, ensuring that the community remains at the heart of its success. By participating in these bounties, contributors not only earn rewards but also play a crucial role in shaping the future of Polkadot.
- Follow the discussion posted by Lily Mendez at the Polkadot Forum.
