# Getting Started

Monetrix has two tokens and one thing to understand:

* **USDM**: minted 1:1 from USDC. Holding USDM alone does **not** earn yield.
* **sUSDM**: received when you stake USDM. Holding sUSDM **does** earn yield, because the sUSDM → USDM exchange rate grows over time.

## What you need

* A Web3 wallet connected to **Hyperliquid EVM (HyperEVM)**.
* Some **USDC** on HyperEVM.
* A small amount of **HYPE** for gas.

If you don't have USDC on HyperEVM yet, bridge from Ethereum or another supported chain first.

## The full flow

```
USDC ──► (Mint)   ──► USDM
                       │
                       ▼
                     (Stake)   ──► sUSDM    ← yield grows here
                       │
                       ▼
                     (Unstake + cooldown) ──► USDM
                       │
                       ▼
                     (Redeem + cooldown)  ──► USDC
```

Three important things:

* **Minting and redeeming both use a 1:1 rate** between USDC and USDM. You don't gain or lose value in the mint/redeem steps.
* **Staking is where yield accrues.** sUSDM's exchange rate to USDM increases over time.
* **Both unstaking and redeeming have cooldown periods** set by the protocol. You request → wait → claim.

## Quick steps

1. [**Mint USDM**](/guide/mint.md): deposit USDC, receive USDM 1:1 (2 transactions: approve + mint).
2. [**Stake USDM**](/guide/stake.md): approve USDM to sUSDM, stake to receive sUSDM (2 transactions). Yield starts accruing.
3. **Hold**: the sUSDM/USDM exchange rate grows as protocol earnings compound.
4. [**Unstake**](/guide/stake.md#unstake): request to unwind your sUSDM back to USDM. Cooldown starts. When it's ready, Claim.
5. [**Redeem USDM**](/guide/redeem.md): request to redeem USDM back to USDC. A second cooldown starts. When it's ready, Claim.

## Read next

* [Mint USDM](/guide/mint.md): step by step.
* [Stake USDM](/guide/stake.md): how yield actually works.
* [FAQ](/guide/faq.md): short answers to common questions.


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://doc.monetrix.xyz/guide/getting-started.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.