Onboarding

From a fresh wallet to your first trade, step by step.

Five steps, and each one is done once. After that, trading is a click and a confirmation.

  1. 1ConnectNo signature
  2. 2Sign in1 signature
  3. 3Deposit2 transactions
  4. 4Authorise1 signature
  5. 5TradeNo pop ups
A signature is free and moves nothing. A transaction costs gas on the network your USDC is on. The deposit is the only step that sends one.

1. Connect a wallet

Press Connect in the header. A browser extension wallet (MetaMask, Rabby and the like) shows up on its own. On a phone, or for a wallet on another device, pick WalletConnect and scan the code.

2. Sign in

Your wallet asks you to sign a short message that proves you own the address. It is a signature, not a transaction: nothing moves and there is no gas to pay.

3. Deposit USDC

Press Deposit beside your wallet in the header and choose the network your USDC is on, then the amount. Your wallet asks for two transactions on that network:

  1. Approve Derive's bridge for exactly the amount you typed. Never an unlimited approval.
  2. Deposit that amount through Derive's bridge, to your own Derive account.
Your walletUSDC on Ethereum, Arbitrum or Base
Derive's bridgeA few minutes, one bridge fee
Your Derive accountOn Derive's own network, ready to trade

The form shows the bridge fee before you confirm. The money arrives on Derive in a few minutes. You can close the page while it travels; when you come back, here or on another device, the app picks it up from your wallet.

The first time, your wallet also asks you to sign one or two messages that set up your Derive account. These are signatures, not transactions: Tunder pays the gas on Derive's network for you.

4. Authorise trading

Once the deposit is credited, press Authorise Trading. This creates a trading key that lives in the app, so each order does not need a wallet pop up. You sign once to register it with Derive. The key lasts seven days, after which you authorise again.

On Derive's current version a trading key can sign any action your Derive account can, withdrawals included, for as long as it lasts. That is how Derive's own site works too. On Derive's next version the key is limited to trading options.

5. Build and send a position

  1. Pick an asset and an expiry.
  2. Pick a preset, like a call or an iron butterfly, or build the legs yourself.
  3. Set the size. The box shows how much your Derive balance can support.
  4. Press Check Position. The review shows each leg, the cost and the payoff, and lets you choose how to send it: Auto or Book.
  5. Confirm. The result shows in the review and on your profile.
NextAuto and Book execution