Now Open: CTRL+Move—The Aptos Hackathon for What’s Next in DeFi
But in order to realize this future, DeFi needs to work.
Enter CTRL+Move: a new hackathon focused on real utility, breakthrough DeFi design and the power of performance-driven infrastructure.
With registration now open, Aptos invites builders from across the globe to join CTRL+Move to reimagine the DeFi experience from the inside out. Whether it’s liquidity engines, smart payment flows or cross-chain coordination, this is where great ideas meet production-grade performance.
Build DeFi That Works On Aptos
DeFi is still full of friction, and builders on Aptos have the opportunity to fix that by unlocking the next era of DeFi. CTRL+Move is looking for builders ready to reimagine how finance works in a high-performance, scalable and user-first environment.
Running from August 4 to October 3, 2025, CTRL+Move challenges you to build DeFi products that move as fast as the world trades, powered by the Global Trading Engine.
With $100,000+ in prizes, hands-on support and deep ecosystem access, this is your chance to build what’s missing—and build it where it matters.
Aptos brings unmatched infrastructure to DeFi:
Parallel execution for speed at scale
Sub-second finality for real-time experiences
Atomic composability for powerful smart contract design
Low, predictable fees even during peak activity
Whether you’re building capital-efficient vaults, mobile-native payments or dynamic liquidity systems, CTRL+Move is your launchpad focused on key tracks:
Trading & Market Infrastructure
Matching engines, CLOBs and new order types
Strategy vaults, DeFi dashboards or dev tooling
Integrate with Aptos-native projects like Merkle Trade, Hyperion and Tapp Exchange
New Financial Products
RWA marketplaces, prediction markets or social investing apps
Novel vault mechanics or gamified capital coordination
Mobile-first interfaces or trading bots
Payments & Value Transfer
Real-time payroll or remittance flows
Cross-border stablecoin apps leveraging native USDC, USDT and USDe on Aptos
Seamless on/off ramps and embedded wallets
CTRL+Move: A Challenge in Three Phases
CTRL+Move runs globally while connecting developers to in-person hubs in San Francisco, NYC, Buenos Aires, Vietnam, China, the UK and Nigeria.
Here’s how it works:
Phase 1: Ideation and Building
Registration Open: August 4, 2025
Project Submission Deadline: October 3, 2025
Join live office hours, workshops and mentor sessions throughout
Submit your idea via DoraHacks and connect with the global Aptos builder community
Phase 2: Winners Announced
Winners Announced: October 16, 2025 at Aptos Experience
Winning teams will receive cash prizes, ecosystem visibility and the opportunity to grow their ideas into products on Aptos.
$100K+ in Prizes and Partner Bounties
CTRL+Move features a total prize pool of $100,000+ USD, including Aptos Foundation-sponsored awards and special partner bounties.
You’ll also get the opportunity to build with tech from leading partners, including:
Circle (CCTP, Circle Wallets)
Ekiden
Hyperion
Kana Labs
Kofi Finance
Merkle Trade
Nodit
Panora
Tapp Exchange
Build the Future of Finance with CTRL+Move
Ready to reshape how the world uses, moves and interacts with digital assets?
Register now to enter CTRL+Move, the global DeFi hackathon on Aptos. With composable infrastructure, powerful developer tools and real-world partners, there’s never been a better place to build DeFi that works.