Place Your First Trade

This guide walks you through opening your first position on Rubicon.

Prerequisites

Before you start:

• Wallet connected (Connect Wallet)

• Account funded with USDC (Fund Your Account)

• Trading agent authorized (see below)

Step 1: Select a Market

From the trading interface, select the ETF you want to trade:

• SOXX — US Semiconductor ETF

• KODEX — Korean Semiconductor ETF

The chart and order book will update to show the selected market.

Step 2: Analyze the Market

Before trading, review:

Element	What to Check
Price Chart	Current trend, support/resistance levels
Order Book	Liquidity at different price levels
Funding Rate	Current rate and countdown to next payment
Market Status	Open, closed, or extended hours

Step 3: Authorize Trading Agent (One-Time)

Before your first trade, you need to authorize a trading agent. This is a one-time setup that enables seamless trading without wallet popups for each order.

1. Click "Authorize Trading Agent" in the trade form

2. Sign the authorization message in your wallet (MetaMask)

3. The agent is now active and can sign trades on your behalf

What does this do?

• Creates a browser-based keypair that signs orders instantly

• Your funds remain secure — agents can only trade, not withdraw

• Authorization persists in your browser until you clear data

Once you see the green "Agent active" indicator, you're ready to trade.

Step 4: Configure Your Order

Choose Direction

• Long — You profit when price goes up

• Short — You profit when price goes down

Select Order Type

• Market — Execute immediately at best available price

• Limit — Execute only at your specified price or better

Set Position Size

Enter the size in contracts or USD value. The interface will show:

• Required margin

• Liquidation price

• Maximum position at current leverage

Adjust Leverage

Slide to select leverage from 1x to 3x:

• Higher leverage = less margin required, but closer liquidation price

• Lower leverage = more margin required, but safer position

Step 5: Review Order Details

Before confirming, verify:

Direction:        Long SOXX
Size:             10 contracts
Entry Price:      ~$225.50 (market)
Leverage:         3x
Margin Required:  $751.67
Liquidation:      $161.07
Fees:             ~$1.83 (0.081% taker)

Step 6: Place the Order

1. Click "Place Long Order" or "Place Short Order" button

2. Review the confirmation modal

3. Click "Confirm" — your agent signs instantly (no wallet popup)

4. Order submitted to the order book

Step 7: Monitor Your Position

Once filled, your position appears in the Positions panel:

Field	Description
Size	Number of contracts (positive = long, negative = short)
Entry Price	Average entry price
Mark Price	Current mark price
Unrealized PnL	Profit/loss if you closed now
Liquidation Price	Price at which position is liquidated

Step 8: Close Your Position

To close:

Market Close

Click "Close" on your position to exit at market price immediately.

Limit Close

Set a take-profit or stop-loss order:

1. Click on your position

2. Select "Close with Limit"

3. Enter your target price

4. Submit the order

Example Trade

Let's walk through a real example:

Scenario: You believe SOXX will rise from $225 to $235.

1. Select SOXX market

2. Choose Long

3. Set size: $1,000 notional

4. Set leverage: 3x

5. Margin required: $333

Outcome A — Price rises to $235 (+4.4%):

• Position PnL: +$44

• Return on margin: +13.2% (3x leveraged)

Outcome B — Price falls to $215 (-4.4%):

• Position PnL: -$44

• Return on margin: -13.2% (3x leveraged)

Tips for New Traders

1. Start small — Get comfortable with the interface before sizing up

2. Use limit orders — Better fills, lower fees

3. Set stop-losses — Protect against unexpected moves

4. Watch funding rates — Holding positions costs/earns funding

5. Check market hours — Prices freeze when ETF market is closed

6. Monitor liquidation price — Keep it far from current price

Next Steps

• Learn about Order Types

• Understand Leverage & Margin

• Review Market Hours behavior