Bybit’s Web3 Unleashed Hackathon Awards $140K, Elevates Dubai’s Tech Prowess

Editorial Team

Last updated 28-11-2025

3 min

Bybit concluded its third Web3 Unleashed Hackathon in Dubai, awarding USD 140,000 to five teams.

The event attracted 90 global teams, focusing on decentralisation with new DeFAI and DeSci tracks.

Notable winners demonstrated innovation, technical strength, and real-world problem-solving capability.

The hackathon underscores Dubai's role as a hub for next-generation Web3 development.

Organisers aim to support builders focusing on utility and sustainable impact amidst market challenges.

Bybit has wrapped up the third edition of its Web3 Unleashed Hackathon in Dubai, handing out USD 140,000 to five standout teams after a pretty intense global contest. The event, held with DMCC at the S/O Uptown Dubai, pulled in 90 teams from around the world – developers, founders, investors, the whole lot – all rallying around this year’s theme of shaping the next wave of decentralisation. I’ve seen a fair few hackathons across the region through Arageek’s startup coverage, and this one felt spot on in terms of how fast things in Web3 are evolving.

This edition introduced two new tracks, DeFAI and DeSci, which sat alongside familiar categories like DeFi, Web3 Gaming, SocialFi, Infrastructure and Tokenisation. A welcome move, I reckon, because both AI‑driven finance and decentralised science have been bubbling up for a while. Ten finalists made it to the big stage, pitching to a panel of industry specialists. From there, five teams walked away with the top recognition, chosen for their innovation, technical strength and potential to actually solve real-world problems – not just fancy whitepapers.

Ahmed Bin Sulayem, DMCC’s Executive Chairman and CEO, noted that the programme has grown from a regional idea into something genuinely global in just three years. His view was that Dubai is positioning itself as a home for next‑generation tech, and honestly, having watched startups scrambling to plug themselves into the city’s ecosystem, I’m not surprised. He said the addition of DeFAI and DeSci shows how intent the organisers are on staying ahead of the curve.

Helen Liu, Co‑CEO of Bybit, also reflected on the broader market mood, pointing out that Bitcoin’s recent pullback is a reminder that building in blockchain isn’t always smooth sailing. And believe it or not, I’ve heard founders say similar things during late‑night accelerator sessions – that long-term conviction matters more than the day-to-day market wobble. Liu emphasised that Bybit aims to keep supporting builders who focus on real utility and sustainable impact.

A whole list of partners backed the hackathon, including DWF Labs, TOP Ventures, Verse8, CV Labs and Cointelegraph. They provided mentorship, resources and visibility – which, for early-stage teams, can sometimes matter even more than prize money, though it can be a bit of a faff navigating all those mentor opinions. Judging criteria covered creativity, technical execution, practicality, business potential, impact, presentation and team experience.

Organisers say the Web3 Unleashed series continues to highlight emerging talent while reinforcing Dubai’s status as a rising centre for Web3 development. From what I’ve seen around the MENA startup scene, that feels definately true.

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