Haley is a seasoned blockchain generalist specialising in developer relations and ecosystem strategy. She began her journey as a reporter covering Solana News and has since advised over 15 web3 projects across sectors such as GameFi, NFT marketplaces, SocialFi, DAOs, DeFi, and blockchain infrastructure. Her experience also includes leading operations for decentralised physical infrastructure and machine learning protocols, managing large-scale hackathons, and contributing to enterprise initiatives in Filecoin and Bitcoin mining.
How does CrossFi differentiate itself from other L1 ecosystems in bridging TradFi and DeFi?
CrossFi is not just another layer 1 blockchain, we’re a network focused on making decentralised finance usable in everyday life.
Rather than building more technical infrastructure, the platform emphasises real-world financial utility, offering users the ability to spend crypto directly at the point of sale via Visa and Mastercard.
This functionality effectively creates a bridge between traditional finance and decentralised networks, enabling crypto to function in a swipe-and-go manner akin to Apple Pay.
What is the CrossFi Foundation’s role in shaping strategic priorities for the ecosystem?
The Foundation helps steer long-term development by focusing on three core areas: DeFi, GameFi, and infrastructure applications.
It acts as a central coordinator between developers and institutional needs, supporting projects that contribute to a functional web3 banking experience.
In addition to technical support, it provides guidance on regulation and integration, ensuring the ecosystem progresses in line with compliance and usability goals.
Funding, developer support, and community engagement all contribute to this broader mission.
How does the Foundation align its $50 million grant programme with long-term ecosystem goals?
The Foundation’s grant programme takes a structured, multi-stage approach to selecting recipients.
Projects are evaluated on their alignment with CrossFi’s ecosystem priorities, their potential for real-world use, compatibility with fiat systems, technical viability, and commitment to sustainability and compliance.
Grants are milestone-based, and recipients are offered continued support through our CrossFi Accelerator and Incubator, where they gain access to mentorship, enterprise partnerships, go-to-market support, and infrastructure tools.
How were finalists selected from over 100 entries in the Summer 2024 Hackathon, and how will these insights be applied to Hackathon Vol. 2?
The Summer 2024 Hackathon used a detailed, phased selection process to narrow over 100 applications down to 24 finalists.
Beyond the initial review, teams were invited to pre-hackathon workshops and given a month to develop their concepts. Final selections were based on a mix of vision, execution, ecosystem fit, and potential real-world impact.
The Foundation found that early engagement and structured guidance significantly raised the quality of submissions. The projects that succeeded weren’t just technically sound — they understood how to build within the CrossFi universe and connect to real user needs.
Building on this, the upcoming Hackathon Vol. 2 will introduce vertical-specific tracks to better focus developer efforts.
The first track will explore AI and decentralised infrastructure, encouraging the integration of artificial intelligence with governance tools and decentralised physical networks, such as smart cities or energy grids.
The second will focus on user experience and blockchain applications in education, particularly verifiable credentials and tokenised learning platforms.
The third is geared toward scalable decentralised application development and cross-chain gaming, with an emphasis on usability and performance.
These tracks reflect our growing ambition, not just to build compelling dApps, but to build entire ecosystems.
In addition to grant funding, winners will receive entry into the Accelerator and Incubator programmes, helping them move from concept to production with the benefit of strategic guidance and real user feedback.
How is CrossFi addressing the convergence of neo-banking and decentralised finance, and are there plans for direct bank connectivity?
CrossFi is working to combine the convenience of modern banking with the benefits of decentralised finance.
Early users have already been able to spend crypto through Visa and Mastercard without the need for conversions or intermediaries, using non-custodial wallets that retain full user control.
The team is also developing direct bank account integration, which will enable smoother fiat on- and off-ramps and programmable finance features across both traditional and blockchain rails.
The aim is to deliver a banking experience indistinguishable from conventional platforms, while maintaining the openness and transparency of DeFi.
How does the Foundation define ecosystem maturity at the intersection of TradFi, DeFi, and crypto banking?
For CrossFi, maturity is achieved when decentralised finance operates with the same ease and trust as traditional banking.
Key indicators include widespread adoption of CrossFi-powered wallets and cards, growth of applications with real-world use cases in GameFi and DeFi, regulatory-compliant fiat gateways, and increased activity within its infrastructure and identity layers.
Everyday use, for transactions, savings, and payments, is also a critical measure.
Looking ahead, CrossFi has several key milestones in sight. These include rolling out full bank account integration, launching the first batch of projects supported by its Accelerator, and surpassing 10 million real-world crypto transactions.
More broadly, the focus is on expanding into regulated fiat markets worldwide and building a multichain ecosystem centred on usability and practical, spendable value.