diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index b6405b2b..c39f8752 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -1,7 +1,3 @@
-# Storage for metadata
-# Create a Blob database and get token here: https://vercel.com/dashboard/stores?type=blob
-BLOB_READ_WRITE_TOKEN=
-
 # ---------------------
 # NETWORK CONFIGURATION
 # ---------------------
@@ -84,3 +80,8 @@ NEXT_PUBLIC_TALLY_URL=https://upblxu2duoxmkobt.public.blob.vercel-storage.com
 NEXT_PUBLIC_POLL_MODE="non-qv"
 
 NEXT_PUBLIC_ROUND_LOGO="round-logo.png"
+
+NEXT_PUBLIC_IPFS_URL=""
+NEXT_PUBLIC_IPFS_FETCHING_URL=""
+IPFS_API_KEY=""
+IPFS_SECRET=""
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
index 4c3fe025..c2d357dc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ env:
   NEXT_PUBLIC_VOTING_END_DATE: ${{ vars.NEXT_PUBLIC_VOTING_END_DATE }}
   NEXT_PUBLIC_RESULTS_DATE: ${{ vars.NEXT_PUBLIC_RESULTS_DATE }}
   NEXT_PUBLIC_POLL_MODE: ${{ vars.NEXT_PUBLIC_POLL_MODE }}
+  NEXT_PUBLIC_IPFS_URL: ${{ vars.NEXT_PUBLIC_IPFS_URL }}
+  NEXT_PUBLIC_IPFS_FETCHING_URL: ${{ vars.NEXT_PUBLIC_IPFS_FETCHING_URL }}
+  IPFS_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.IPFS_API_KEY }}
+  IPFS_SECRET: ${{ secrets.IPFS_SECRET }}
   TEST_MNEMONIC: ${{ secrets.TEST_MNEMONIC }}
   WALLET_PRIVATE_KEY: ""
 
diff --git a/src/config.ts b/src/config.ts
index 5c72f29a..64bc8009 100644
--- a/src/config.ts
+++ b/src/config.ts
@@ -67,6 +67,13 @@ export const config = {
   roundLogo: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_ROUND_LOGO,
 };
 
+export const ipfs = {
+  url: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_IPFS_URL ?? "",
+  apiKey: process.env.IPFS_API_KEY ?? "",
+  secret: process.env.IPFS_SECRET ?? "",
+  fetchingUrl: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_IPFS_FETCHING_URL ?? "",
+};
+
 export const theme = {
   colorMode: "light",
 };
diff --git a/src/env.js b/src/env.js
index 1c098597..93341bb0 100644
--- a/src/env.js
+++ b/src/env.js
@@ -69,6 +69,9 @@ module.exports = createEnv({
 
     NEXT_PUBLIC_POLL_MODE: z.enum(["qv", "non-qv"]).default("non-qv"),
     NEXT_PUBLIC_ROUND_LOGO: z.string().optional(),
+
+    NEXT_PUBLIC_IPFS_URL: z.string().url(),
+    NEXT_PUBLIC_IPFS_FETCHING_URL: z.string().url(),
   },
 
   /**
@@ -108,6 +111,9 @@ module.exports = createEnv({
 
     NEXT_PUBLIC_POLL_MODE: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_POLL_MODE,
     NEXT_PUBLIC_ROUND_LOGO: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_ROUND_LOGO,
+
+    NEXT_PUBLIC_IPFS_URL: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_IPFS_URL,
+    NEXT_PUBLIC_IPFS_FETCHING_URL: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_IPFS_FETCHING_URL,
   },
   /**
    * Run `build` or `dev` with `SKIP_ENV_VALIDATION` to skip env validation. This is especially
diff --git a/src/hooks/useMetadata.ts b/src/hooks/useMetadata.ts
index 0c122010..f0d8692d 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useMetadata.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useMetadata.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,13 @@ export function useMetadata<T>(metadataPtr?: string): UseTRPCQueryResult<T, unkn
   return api.metadata.get.useQuery({ metadataPtr: String(metadataPtr) }, { enabled: Boolean(metadataPtr) });
 }
 
+// based on API documentation of infura and pinata the hash could come
+// with different property names
+interface UploadResponse {
+  Hash?: string;
+  IpfsHash?: string;
+}
+
 export function useUploadMetadata(): UseMutationResult<{ url: string }, DefaultError, Record<string, unknown> | File> {
   return useMutation({
     mutationFn: async (data: Record<string, unknown> | File) => {
@@ -30,7 +37,9 @@ export function useUploadMetadata(): UseMutationResult<{ url: string }, DefaultE
         if (!r.ok) {
           throw new Error("Network error");
         }
-        return (await r.json()) as { url: string };
+        const res = (await r.json()) as unknown as UploadResponse;
+        const hash = res.Hash ?? res.IpfsHash;
+        return { url: hash! };
       });
     },
   });
diff --git a/src/pages/api/blob.ts b/src/pages/api/blob.ts
index db0c6017..8cf2358a 100644
--- a/src/pages/api/blob.ts
+++ b/src/pages/api/blob.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,41 @@
-import { put } from "@vercel/blob";
+import { IncomingMessage } from "http";
+
+import { ipfs } from "~/config";
 
 import type { NextApiResponse, NextApiRequest, PageConfig } from "next";
 
-export default async function handler(req: NextApiRequest, res: NextApiResponse): Promise<void> {
-  const blob = await put(req.query.filename as string, req, {
-    access: "public",
+function bufferize(req: IncomingMessage): Promise<Buffer> {
+  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    const chunks: Buffer[] = [];
+    req.on("data", (chunk: Buffer) => chunks.push(chunk));
+    req.on("end", () => {
+      resolve(Buffer.concat(chunks));
+    });
+    req.on("error", reject);
   });
+}
+
+export default async function blob(req: NextApiRequest, res: NextApiResponse): Promise<void> {
+  const buffer = await bufferize(req);
+  const formData = new FormData();
+  formData.append("file", new Blob([buffer]), req.query.filename as string);
+
+  const response = await fetch(`${ipfs.url}/api/v0/add`, {
+    method: "POST",
+    headers: {
+      Authorization: `Basic ${Buffer.from(`${ipfs.apiKey}:${ipfs.secret}`).toString("base64")}`,
+    },
+    body: formData,
+  });
+
+  if (!response.ok) {
+    res.status(response.status).json({ error: "Failed to upload to IPFS" });
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const data: unknown = await response.json();
 
-  res.status(200).json(blob);
+  res.status(200).json(data);
 }
 
 export const config: PageConfig = {
diff --git a/src/utils/fetch.ts b/src/utils/fetch.ts
index 46ac6b32..626bb716 100644
--- a/src/utils/fetch.ts
+++ b/src/utils/fetch.ts
@@ -6,17 +6,20 @@ export interface ICreateCachedFetchArgs {
 
 export type TCachedFetch = <T>(
   url: string,
-  opts?: { method: "POST" | "GET"; body?: string },
+  opts?: { method: "POST" | "GET"; body?: string; headers?: Record<string, string> },
 ) => Promise<{ data: T; error: Error }>;
 
 export function createCachedFetch({ ttl = 1000 * 60 }: ICreateCachedFetchArgs): TCachedFetch {
   const cachedFetch = NodeFetchCache.create({ cache: new MemoryCache({ ttl }) });
 
-  return async <T>(url: string, opts?: { method: "POST" | "GET"; body?: string }): Promise<{ data: T; error: Error }> =>
+  return async <T>(
+    url: string,
+    opts?: { method: "POST" | "GET"; body?: string; headers?: Record<string, string> },
+  ): Promise<{ data: T; error: Error }> =>
     cachedFetch(url, {
       method: opts?.method ?? "GET",
       body: opts?.body,
-      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json", ...opts?.headers },
     }).then(async (r) => {
       if (!r.ok) {
         await r.ejectFromCache();
diff --git a/src/utils/fetchMetadata.ts b/src/utils/fetchMetadata.ts
index 7954f929..22edfc8a 100644
--- a/src/utils/fetchMetadata.ts
+++ b/src/utils/fetchMetadata.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import { ipfs } from "~/config";
+
 import { createCachedFetch } from "./fetch";
 
 // ipfs data never changes
@@ -5,10 +7,13 @@ const ttl = 2147483647;
 const cachedFetch = createCachedFetch({ ttl });
 
 export async function fetchMetadata<T>(url: string): Promise<{ data: T; error: Error }> {
-  const ipfsGateway = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_IPFS_GATEWAY ?? "https://dweb.link/ipfs/";
-
   if (!url.startsWith("http")) {
-    return cachedFetch<T>(`${ipfsGateway}${url}`);
+    return cachedFetch<T>(`${ipfs.fetchingUrl}${url}`, {
+      method: "POST",
+      headers: {
+        Authorization: `Basic ${Buffer.from(`${ipfs.apiKey}:${ipfs.secret}`).toString("base64")}`,
+      },
+    });
   }
 
   return cachedFetch<T>(url);