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How to Start Trading

Prerequisites​

Zenex currently runs on Stellar testnet, so trading uses test tokens — no real funds are at risk. Before you begin, you need:

  • A way to sign in. You have three options:
    • Social login (Google, X, or Discord) via Privy — creates a smart account in one click. No extension, no seed phrase. This is the first option in the Connect dialog.
    • Smart account: Create a passkey-based smart account directly from Zenex. No seed phrase, no extension. Just your device's biometrics (fingerprint, Face ID) or a security key.
    • Browser wallet: Zenex supports xBull, Freighter, Lobstr, Albedo, Hana, Ledger, and Hot Wallet. An advanced Ed25519 key import flow is also available.
  • The vault's collateral token (USDC on testnet) in your account. New accounts are walked through funding automatically — see Step 2 below.

Step 1: Connect or Create an Account​

Click Connect in the top-right corner on desktop, or at the top of the page on mobile. From here you can sign in with a social login (Privy), connect an existing browser wallet, connect an existing passkey account, or create a new smart account using a passkey. No wallet extension needed.

Step 2: Fund Your Testnet Account​

Because Zenex is on testnet, the app shows a banner walking you through three free funding steps when needed:

  1. Fund the account via Stellar's friendbot (creates the account on-chain).
  2. Add a USDC trustline so your account can hold USDC.
  3. Claim test USDC from the built-in faucet to use as collateral.

Click each banner action as it appears. Once your account holds USDC, you're ready to trade.

Quick Trading: One-Click Trading​

When using a smart account, each trade normally requires a passkey prompt (biometric confirmation). To streamline this, Zenex offers Quick Trading (a session key under the hood): a temporary signing key that lets you trade with a single click for up to 4 hours, without repeated passkey prompts.

To enable it, click the Quick Trading (fish icon) button in the top bar after connecting your smart account, then click Enable. An ephemeral key is generated and authorized on your account. When the session expires, simply re-enable it. Quick Trading keys can only be used for trading actions and can be revoked at any time.

Step 3: Select a Market​

Choose the asset you want to trade — XLM, BTC, or ETH.

Step 4: Choose Your Direction​

Select Long if you expect the price to go up, or Short if you expect it to go down.

Step 5: Set Your Collateral and Leverage​

Enter the amount of collateral you want to allocate (the input is labeled Amount, denominated in USDC) and choose a leverage multiplier (up to 100x). Your notional position size equals collateral multiplied by leverage. For more details, see Leverage and Collateral.

Step 6: Set Entry Price​

Choose your order type. A market order executes at the current oracle price. A limit order lets you specify the exact price at which you want to enter.

Step 7: Set Stop-Loss and Take-Profit (Optional)​

Add stop-loss and take-profit triggers to automate your risk management. A stop-loss closes your position if the price moves against you beyond a threshold, while a take-profit locks in gains at a target price. See Liquidation for more on how positions are protected.

Step 8: Review and Submit​

Review your position details: direction, collateral, leverage, entry price, and any triggers. When everything looks correct, click LONG/BUY or SHORT/SELL (the action button matches the direction you chose), confirm in the order dialog, and sign the transaction in your wallet.

Managing Your Position​

Once your position is open, you can modify it at any time: add or remove collateral, update your stop-loss and take-profit triggers, or close the position entirely. See PnL Calculations to understand how your profit and loss are computed, and Fees for applicable trading costs.