### Terms and Conditions
- [x] I agree to the [Grant Agreement](https://9ba4718…c-5c73-47c3-a024-4fc4e5278803.usrfiles.com/ugd/9ba471_f81ef4e4b5f040038350270590eb2e42.pdf) terms if funded
- [x] I agree to [Provide KYC information](https://9ba4718c-5c73-47c3-a024-4fc4e5278803.usrfiles.com/ugd/9ba471_7d9e73d16b584a61bae92282b208efc4.pdf) if funded above $50,000 USD
- [x] I agree to disclose conflicts of interest
- [x] I agree to adhere to the [Code of Conduct](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-code-of-conduct/41787) and [Communication Guidelines](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-communication-guidelines/44284)
- [x] I understand all milestone deliverables will be validated and accepted by their intended users or their representatives, who will confirm that the deliverables meet the required quality, functionality, and usability for each user story.
- [x] I agree to post request details on the [Community Forum](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/c/grants/33)
- [x] I understand it is my responsibility to post a link to this issue on the [Zcash Community Forums](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/c/grants/33) after this application has been submitted so the community can give input. I understand this is required in order for ZCG to discuss and vote on this grant application.
### Application Owners (@Octocat, @Octocat1)
@charlesarchibong, @cyuket
### Organization Name
Myaza
### How did you learn about Zcash Community Grants
Referral
### Requested Grant Amount (USD)
101,300
### Category
Wallets
### Project Lead
```project-lead.yaml
Name: Charles Archibong
Role: Co-Founder & CEO
Background:
Charles is a seasoned software engineer with 8+ years of experience across fintech, AI, and blockchain. He has worked at SQIN and Nunc and co-founded Myaza, a cross-border fintech platform tailored for Africa. He’s led the development of multiple high-scale products used across Europe and Africa.
Responsibilities:
1. Lead technical architecture and ZEC wallet integration
2. Oversee product roadmap and engineering execution
3. Coordinate with Zcash community and ensure delivery of milestones
4. Manage project reporting, documentation, and budgeting
```
### Additional Team Members
```team-members.yaml
Name: Cyril Uket
Role: Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
Background:
Cyril is a seasoned backend and infrastructure engineer with 6+ years of experience building secure and scalable fintech systems. He has led integrations across fiat rails, crypto wallets, and KYC providers for over 100,000 users. At Myaza, he’s responsible for blockchain integrations and built the platform’s real-time wallet and transaction engine.
Responsibilities:
1. Architect and implement ZEC wallet and transaction support
2. Ensure secure handling of shielded and transparent addresses
3. Lead the engineering team and oversee code quality, scalability, and uptime.
Name: Richard Ingwe
Role: Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Background:
Richard brings 7+ years of fintech and product operations experience. He led Myaza’s market expansion across 6 African countries, forming partnerships with payment processors, regulators, and compliance vendors. He’s driven user acquisition and operations that enabled Myaza to reach over 5,000 users and grow 23% month-over-month.
Responsibilities:
1. Coordinate product rollout for ZEC integrations
2. Manage user onboarding, liquidity provider ops, and KYC compliance
3. Oversee go-to-market execution and adoption metrics for ZEC features
```
### Project Summary
Myaza is building ZEC-powered cross-border financial infrastructure tailored for Africa, enabling users to save, spend, and send Zcash directly from a secure multi-currency wallet with access to virtual cards, mobile top-ups, and bill payments. Our goal is to onboard the next 100,000 users to ZEC by embedding it into everyday financial use cases across the continent.
### Project Description
Myaza is a digital financial platform designed to simplify cross-border payments and financial access in Africa. With over 7,000 users and growing, we are now integrating Zcash (ZEC) to bring privacy-preserving money into mainstream African financial tools.
This project will introduce a ZEC wallet into Myaza's mobile and web apps, allowing users to:
- Deposit, store, and send ZEC
- Spend ZEC through USD virtual cards
- Swap between ZEC and local fiat/stablecoins
- Access educational tools and campaigns about privacy and crypto adoption
We will focus on Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana for the rollout and aim to bridge the gap between digital privacy and everyday spending in underbanked markets.
### Proposed Problem
Millions of Africans lack access to secure, private, and cross-border-friendly financial tools. Most financial platforms expose transaction histories, are limited by local currency volatility, and exclude privacy-focused cryptocurrencies like Zcash.
ZEC remains underutilized in Africa due to:
- Lack of user-friendly on-ramps/off-ramps
- No integration into real-world spending tools (cards, bills, top-ups)
- Little awareness or education around privacy-preserving money
As a result, African users miss out on ZEC’s benefits for protecting financial sovereignty and navigating broken financial systems.
### Proposed Solution
We will integrate ZEC into the Myaza platform as a first-class citizen:
1. ZEC Wallet Support: Users can receive, hold, and send ZEC directly.
2. ZEC-to-Fiat Swap: Convert ZEC into local fiat or stablecoins for use within Myaza.
3. ZEC-Powered Virtual Cards: Enable users to fund virtual USD cards using ZEC for online/global purchases.
4. Spend ZEC on Essentials: Allow ZEC to be used for mobile top-ups, electricity bills, and subscriptions.
5. Community Education: Launch an onboarding campaign including how-to guides, social content, and user workshops in Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya.
This makes ZEC usable by anyone with a smartphone — no need for technical knowledge or external wallets and brings Zcash into everyday African financial life.
### Solution Format
The solution will be delivered as a set of fully integrated production features within the Myaza mobile and web apps:
- A ZEC Wallet for sending/receiving/storing ZEC
- A Swap module to convert ZEC to/from local fiat and stablecoins (USDT)
- A ZEC Funding Gateway for virtual cards and bill payments
- In-app education modules covering ZEC usage, privacy, and safety
- Public launch with onboarding flows and demo content
All features will be user-tested and rolled out to target countries: Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, and Ghana.
### Dependencies
To deliver this project, we will rely on the following:
- Zcash light client libraries (zcash-light-client, zcashd)
- Zcash RPCs/APIs for transaction handling
- A secure custodial or self-custody ZEC wallet infrastructure
- On-ramp/off-ramp partners for fiat<>ZEC (We have partnerships with Yellow Card, Kotanipay, and Camp Ramp)
- Collaboration with compliance partners for KYC/KYT screening (We partnered with SmileID and Persona, depending on the country)
- Collaboration with Zcash Foundation and ECC (for tech guidance and feedback)
We don’t plan to build our own node infrastructure but will rely on existing node providers initially.
### Technical Approach
Our engineering team will follow a modular, API-first approach:
**Wallet Integration**
- Implement Zcash light client SDK to enable ZEC key management and transaction signing
- Connect to Myaza’s wallet engine to show balance, transactions, and handle deposits/withdrawals
**ZEC Swap Module**
- Integrate swap functionality via third-party providers or liquidity pools
- Display transparent pricing, including fees and conversion times
**Card & Utility Payment Gateway**
- Extend our payment API to accept ZEC funding for virtual cards, airtime, and bill payments
- Convert ZEC to USD/stablecoin before initiating payouts
**Frontend UI/UX**
- Design an intuitive ZEC wallet interface for both mobile and web
- Provide guidance and prompts to educate new users
**Security & Testing**
- Enforce encryption for keys and transactions
- Run automated and manual testing for all transaction flows
### Upstream Merge Opportunities
At this stage, we do not plan to fork or modify any core Zcash repositories. However, if the project reveals gaps in the mobile developer experience or wallet SDKs (better Flutter bindings), we will:
- Document improvements and challenges for potential upstream contribution
- Coordinate with Zcash maintainers to submit PRs where applicable
- Share UX learnings and integration patterns for better adoption in mobile-first regions
- Timeline for contribution: If SDK-related needs arise, contributions will be proposed by Month 3–5
### Hardware/Software Costs (USD)
3,500
### Hardware/Software Justification
- Server costs for hosting wallet backend, ZEC light client, and infrastructure monitoring
- Firebase/Cloud Functions for scalable app backend integration
- Security and code auditing tools (GuardRails)
- Vercel monthly subscription
### Service Costs (USD)
$12,000
### Service Costs Justification
- Compliance and KYC/KYT vendor fees for onboarding users with ZEC
- Payment processor setup for utility payments and virtual cards
- Third-party wallet infrastructure or node service fees
### Compensation Costs (USD)
85,800
### Compensation Costs Justification
### Compensation Costs Justification
This budget covers **6 months of full-time work** for the product and engineering team responsible for building, integrating, and launching ZEC-powered features into the Myaza platform.
Each role is critical to delivering secure, user-friendly Zcash infrastructure across mobile and web platforms, including wallet setup, fiat swap logic, virtual card funding, and bill payments.
#### Team Breakdown
| Team Member | Role | Monthly Rate (USD) | Duration | Total (USD) |
|------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------|----------|-------------|
| UI/UX Designer | Designs user-friendly ZEC wallet, swap, and onboarding experiences | $2,500 | 6 months | $15,000 |
| Frontend Developer | Builds ZEC wallet UI, transaction views, and integration using React | $2,800 | 6 months | $16,800 |
| Mobile Developer | Integrates ZEC wallet into Flutter mobile app (Android & iOS) | $2,800 | 6 months | $16,800 |
| Backend Developer | Implements APIs, swap logic, wallet infrastructure using Go | $3,000 | 6 months | $18,000 |
| Blockchain Developer | Handles Zcash light client, shielded/transparent tx, key management | $3,200 | 6 months | $19,200 |
### Total Budget (USD)
101300
### Previous Funding
No
### Previous Funding Details
_No response_
### Other Funding Sources
No
### Other Funding Sources Details
_No response_
### Implementation Risks
- **ZEC Liquidity Access:** Limited liquidity or poor swap rates in some African markets could impact seamless fiat<>ZEC conversion.
- **Regulatory Friction:** Local regulations in African countries may delay fiat on-ramp/off-ramp services.
- **SDK Limitations:** Existing Zcash SDKs may lack some mobile-native features, requiring additional development time.
### Potential Side Effects
- **Increased Support Requests:** Adding ZEC could lead to higher customer support load from users new to crypto.
- **Market Volatility Risks:** Sudden ZEC price swings may discourage new users unfamiliar with asset volatility.
### Success Metrics
We will consider the project successful based on:
- 10,000+ Users using ZEC wallet features within 6 months
- $500,000+ in ZEC Transactions (send, spend, or swap)
- 50,000+ App Sessions involving ZEC-related interactions
- 3 Educational Campaigns Launched across Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana
- Positive User Feedback: ≥80% satisfaction in post-transaction survey on ZEC usability
- Successful Integration of light client, swap logic, and card funding via ZEC
### Startup Funding (USD)
35,000
### Startup Funding Justification
This initial funding will enable us to:
- Set up the wallet infrastructure and Zcash light client integration
- Begin UI/UX design and wireframing for ZEC flows
- Cover DevOps costs for staging/test environments
- Initiate team sprints and early QA for wallet operations
- Begin user research and onboarding material production
This upfront budget allows us to de-risk the core build before milestone-based rollout begins.
### Milestone Details
```milestones.yaml
- Milestone: 1
Amount (USD): $35,000
Expected Completion Date: 2025-07-31
User Stories:
- "As a crypto-curious African user, I want to understand how to use ZEC, so that I can try it without fear."
- "As a fintech builder, I want to see a ZEC wallet flow, so I know what’s being built."
- "As a developer on the team, I want a clear starting point, so I can implement ZEC features confidently."
Deliverables:
- Full UI/UX design for ZEC wallet, swap, and utility payment flows (mobile/web)
- Onboarding education content (PDFs, walkthroughs, and UI tooltips)
- Architecture setup: project scoping, codebase scaffolding, backend wallet schema planning
- Initial Zcash light client SDK integration and testnet wallet creation
- Team kickoff: 6-week dev sprint, project management structure, and internal test plan
Acceptance Criteria:
- Designs published on Figma with component-level annotations
- ZEC testnet wallet live with test deposits visible on internal dashboard
- Education content finalized and tested with small focus group (10–20 users)
- Git repo initialized and internal demo walkthrough complete
- Milestone: 2
Amount (USD): $14,500
Expected Completion Date: 2025-08-30
User Stories:
- "As a user, I want to receive ZEC into my wallet, so I can store it securely."
- "As a user, I want to view my wallet balance and transaction history."
Deliverables:
- Full ZEC wallet functionality with receive/send capabilities
- Transaction history display
- User balance sync with Zcash light client backend
- Security audits on wallet endpoints
Acceptance Criteria:
- Wallet can receive ZEC on mainnet
- Users can view transaction history with confirmations
- QA-tested wallet and backend APIs
- Milestone: 3
Amount (USD): $10,000
Expected Completion Date: 2025-09-20
User Stories:
- "As a user, I want to swap ZEC to fiat/stablecoin, so I can use it for spending."
Deliverables:
- Integration of ZEC-to-fiat swap engine
- Live rate display and swap execution
- Internal liquidity testing via third-party APIs
Acceptance Criteria:
- Live swaps executed on staging
- Accurate rate handling with <2% slippage variance
- Swap history visible in user profile
- Milestone: 4
Amount (USD): $10,000
Expected Completion Date: 2025-10-15
User Stories:
- "As a user, I want to use ZEC to top up airtime or pay bills without converting manually."
Deliverables:
- ZEC funding for virtual utilities (airtime, electricity, etc.)
- UI preview of swap-to-fiat before transaction
- Integration with payout APIs (e.g., Fincra or local partners)
Acceptance Criteria:
- At least 10 live utility payments via ZEC
- Swap confirmation UX in production
- Successful audit of payout logic
- Milestone: 5
Amount (USD): $11,000
Expected Completion Date: 2025-11-05
User Stories:
- "As a user, I want to use ZEC to fund my virtual card and spend online."
Deliverables:
- Add ZEC as a funding option for USD virtual cards
- Auto-conversion to stablecoin behind the scenes
- UX explaining conversion preview and funding steps
Acceptance Criteria:
- Minimum 10 ZEC-based card funding transactions
- Feedback from 5 users collected on the flow
- Card dashboard shows ZEC funding option
- Milestone: 6
Amount (USD): $10,000
Expected Completion Date: 2025-11-25
User Stories:
- "As a user, I want to learn how ZEC works with Myaza, so I don’t need external guidance."
- "As a first-time crypto user, I want help to understand risks and privacy benefits."
Deliverables:
- Educational content rollout (videos, guides, tooltips)
- Localization in 3 languages: English, Swahili, and Pidgin
- Campaign launch on Telegram, WhatsApp, and in-app prompts
Acceptance Criteria:
- 5K+ views across all materials
- In-app engagement tracked
- Translations verified and posted
- Milestone: 7
Amount (USD): $10,800
Expected Completion Date: 2025-12-15
User Stories:
- "As a partner or Zcash supporter, I want to see data showing that people are using ZEC in Africa."
Deliverables:
- Public dashboard for ZEC usage (wallet activity, swaps, card funding)
- Final project report with metrics and success evaluation
- 3 founder-written blog posts or video breakdowns of the journey
Acceptance Criteria:
- Dashboard accessible online and updated weekly
- Final report submitted to Zcash Community Grants
- Posts published on Medium, LinkedIn, or X
```
### Supporting Documents
```files.yaml
```
Community Feedback Needed