> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.kairosswap.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.kairosswap.com/using-kairos/using-kairos.md). # Start Here What you can do on Kairos, and which page to start with Kairos lets you do three key things with DeFi interest rates: **take a position** on where they go, **lock in a fixed rate** on borrowing you already have, or **earn yield** by supplying liquidity to the markets other people trade against. Each guide below walks one job end to end. None of them assume you have traded rates before. ## Pick your starting point | If you want to… | Go to | Guide | | --------------------------------------------------------- | --------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- | | Take a position on rates rising or falling | **Predict** | [Buy a Swap](/using-kairos/buy-a-swap.md) | | Replace the variable rate on a loan you already have | **Fixed Rates** | [Fix Your Rate](/using-kairos/fix-your-rate.md) | | Earn yield by supplying liquidity | **Earn** | [Earn](/using-kairos/earn.md) | | Close out a position that has reached the end of its term | **Portfolio** | [Settle at Maturity](/using-kairos/settle-at-maturity.md) | | Get out of a position before its term ends | **Portfolio** | [Early Exit](/using-kairos/early-exit.md) | ## Before your first transaction A few checks run before any button on Kairos will do anything. They are quick, but knowing about them saves confusion. 1. **An early access code.** The Predict and market pages ask for one in a `KAIROS-XXXX-XXXX` format while Kairos is in early access. Join our TG group for a code if you don't already have one: . 2. **Your wallet and the Terms.** Connecting asks you to accept the Terms of Service and sign an attestation. **This signature is free** — it is not a transaction, it costs no gas, and it creates no public record. 3. **The right network.** If your wallet is on a different chain, the header shows **Wrong network** with a switch option. ## The five numbers to know Every trading screen shows some combination of these. You do not need the maths — just the meaning. * **Notional** — the size the interest is calculated on. It is *not* what you pay. A $100,000 notional with $1,000 of collateral means rate movements are measured against $100,000. * **Collateral** — what you actually put up to back the position. Returned at settlement, plus your gains or minus your losses. * **Liquidation bounty** — a small refundable amount held alongside your collateral. You get it back when you settle normally or exit early. You forfeit it only if your position is liquidated. * **Protocol fee** — a one-off fee taken when you open. Not refundable. * **Pool fee** — what you pay the liquidity providers taking the other side. It is already built into the rate you are quoted. The figure labelled **Total Required** on the order screen is the sum of the first four, and it is the **most you can lose** on the position. ## Going deeper These guides cover the how. For the why and the mechanics underneath, see [Core Concepts](/protocol/core-concepts.md), [Swaps](/protocol/swaps.md) and [Liquidity provision](/protocol/liquidity.md). If something goes wrong mid-transaction, the app surfaces a short error code. Those are listed in [Error Codes](/protocol/error-codes.md). --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://docs.kairosswap.com/using-kairos/using-kairos.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. 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.