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Several Filipino developer teams have advanced to the National and Qualifying Rounds of the World Computer Hacker League (WCHL) 2025, a global hackathon organized by the ICP HUB that has drawn over 11,000 participants and 1,500 project submissions worldwide.
WCHL25: National Round
Nelson Lumbres, co-founder of ICP Hub Philippines (ISLA Camp), told BitPinas that seventeen Filipino developer teams have advanced to the National and Qualifying Rounds of the World Computer Hacker League 2025.
Started last August 1, the WCHL25 entered its National Round, and will run until August 31.Â
The hackathon began with the Qualification Round, held in July, which drew 11,774 participants and 1,554 project submissions worldwide.Â
Projects competed across five tracks: Bitcoin DeFi, AI, Fully On-Chain Applications, Real-World Assets, and an Open Track.Â
A total of 51 projects were awarded prizes for innovation, technical execution, and alignment with ICP’s vision, with 50% advancing to the National Round.
In the National Round, qualified teams are refining their projects into functional minimum viable products (MVPs) with the help of weekly mentorship, technical workshops, and expert feedback.
From there, the top 30% will proceed to the Regional Round, competing against leading teams from other countries. Winners will advance to the Global Finale, where the best projects will compete for top honors on the world stage.
Upcoming rounds:
- Regional Rounds: It will be held in September, across five continents, with $70,000 in prizes.
- Global Finale: Set for October, the top teams will compete for a $150,000 grand prize.
“WCHL gives developers what they’ve been asking for: real time to focus and build, real support from experts, and real pathways to growth… We’re not just running a hackathon; we’re creating the environment developers need to succeed. Most importantly, we want this event to be an unforgettable experience for tens of thousands of builders around the world.”
Emilio Canessa, Director of Global Adoption, DFINITY FoundationÂ
What is the World Hacker League?
WCHL25 is a four-month, global hackathon hosted by the ICP HUBS Network and the DFINITY Foundation, running from July to October 2025.Â
It challenges developers worldwide to create fully functional, mainnet-ready applications on the Internet Computer Protocol (ICP) and not just prototypes.
Participants will receive support, including hands-on workshops and dedicated office hours for technical guidance, business mentorship to refine pitching, strategy, and go-to-market plans, as well as fast-tracked access to funding opportunities and direct connections with potential investors.
Thematic tracks available:
- AI – decentralized, transparent AI applications
- Bitcoin DeFi – DeFi apps leveraging ICP–Bitcoin integration
- Fully On-Chain – fully decentralized apps (e.g., DAOs, social platforms)
- Real-World Assets (RWA) – tokenizing real-world assets
- Open Track – creative or novel ideas beyond predefined categories
Worth reading: World Computer Hacker League 2025: $300K Prize Pool Blockchain Hackathon Now Open
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