Interledger Digital Financial Services Grant 2027

The Interledger Digital Financial Services Grant 2027 is run by the Interledger Foundation, a US non-profit, for financial service providers that want to join open, interoperable payment networks. Selected providers can receive up to US$350,000 (about ₹3.33 crore) over 18 months. The first-round expression of interest closes on 11 December 2026 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time, and shortlisted applicants are then invited to a full proposal. The grant is for regulated providers, or ones with a credible path to the licence they need, so it is not for ordinary startups without a financial-services licence. Applications from anywhere are welcome, with priority for Colombia and the wider Americas.

What the program offers

Up to three grants will be awarded. Each selected institution can receive up to US$350,000 (about ₹3.33 crore), and the page also says selected projects may receive US$350,000, so the exact amount may vary. The money supports an 18-month implementation. In that time you integrate Rhyza, free open-source software that connects a provider's existing systems to Interledger and Open Payments, and then pilot a real payment service with customers across borders or across networks.

Funds can be used for technical integration (including Rhyza and Rafiki integration with Open Payments, API development, infrastructure upgrades, security and testing), for compliance and regulatory readiness (legal assessments, licensing support, risk management and data protection), for network participation (peering, settlement and operational testing, transaction monitoring and reporting), for the pilot itself (customer onboarding, partner or merchant engagement and real transaction testing) and for knowledge sharing (documentation, open-source contributions, guides and case studies).

Money is not the only support. Grantees receive technical guidance, regular engagement with the Foundation's programme and technical leads, regular implementation reviews, connections to the wider ecosystem and chances to share what they learn.

Who can apply

The grant targets regulated financial service providers, or organisations with a credible pathway to the regulatory authorisation their proposed service needs. The named examples are credit unions and savings cooperatives, remittance providers, community-based financial institutions, digital-wallet providers and other regulated or regulation-ready providers. Strong applicants should show regulatory readiness, technical capacity or implementation partners, operational and compliance readiness, a clear market need with an existing or prospective customer base, readiness to pilot with real users, and a plan to keep the service going after the grant.

Priority goes to projects in Colombia and the wider Americas, but the Foundation says global applications are welcome and is also interested in projects spanning several markets. For an Indian applicant, this means a licensed or licence-ready payments firm, wallet provider, cooperative or remittance business can apply, but you should explain why your project fits an open, interoperable network and expect to compete with priority regions. It does not suit a startup that only has an app idea with no regulatory route, or a team that does not want to use Rhyza and Interledger technologies.

How to apply

Applying takes two steps. First, read the 2027 resource kit and the FAQ on the Interledger website. Then submit the short expression of interest through the Foundation's Submittable portal by 11 December 2026, 11:59 pm ET. It should cover your organisation, the use case and how Interledger technologies address it, the value to users, your technical and regulatory readiness, network strategy, expected outcomes, implementation approach and an indicative budget. A practical tip: the page itself has some formatting errors around the dates, so confirm the deadline with the programme team before you submit.

How applications are judged and what happens next

The Foundation reviews the first-round submissions and invites strong applicants to a full proposal, expected to run from 1 to 26 February 2027. The full proposal covers the proposed solution and technical architecture, payment and settlement flows, compliance readiness, milestones, staffing, a detailed budget, risks, expected outcomes and long-term sustainability. The page does not publish a scoring system or a date for final decisions. Up to three grantees are chosen for the 18-month implementation.

About the Interledger Foundation

The Foundation says its mission is to foster an inclusive global financial system. It runs grant programmes in education, innovation and advocacy, and supports open technology such as the Interledger Protocol, Open Payments, Rafiki and Rhyza. As an example of impact, it points to People's Clearinghouse in Mexico, a platform led by AMUCSS that is built on Interledger technology to route remittances into community bank accounts.

Things to check before you apply

• The deadline in the first round is 11 December 2026 in Eastern Time, which falls on the morning of 12 December in India.
• You must be ready to integrate and pilot with Rhyza and Interledger technologies, not a different payment system.
• Regulatory approval for your service is your responsibility. Check the licensing rules that apply to you in each country you plan to serve.
• The source does not state whether the grant is paid in instalments, in what currency, or whether travel is required.
• Indian organisations receiving foreign funds should check tax and foreign-exchange rules with an adviser. The source does not discuss them.