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Quick Start Guide

Get started with STRATO DeFi in 10 minutes.

What You'll Need

  • Web3 wallet (MetaMask recommended)
  • Assets to bridge from Ethereum (ETH, USDC, WBTC, etc.)
  • ~$100-500 minimum (makes fees worthwhile)
  • 10 minutes of your time

New to DeFi?

Consider starting with Core Concepts to understand key terms like collateral, health factor, and liquidation before proceeding.

Step 1: Register for STRATO Access

Create Your Account

  1. Go to STRATO registration page:

  2. Visit https://app.strato.nexus

  3. Click on "Register" or "Sign Up" link

  4. (This same account works for both testnet and mainnet)

  5. Fill out the registration form:

  6. Email - Your email address

  7. Username - Choose a unique username
  8. First Name - Your first name
  9. Last Name - Your last name
  10. Password - Create a strong password

  11. Confirm Password - Re-enter your password

  12. Submit the form

  13. Click "Register" button

Verify Your Email

After registration, you'll see a verification page:

Email Verification Required

Almost there! Please check your inbox and verify your email to complete registration.

Steps:

  1. Check your email inbox
  2. Look for email from STRATO/BlockApps

  3. Check spam/junk folder if not in inbox

  4. Click the verification link

  5. Open the verification email
  6. Click the verification link

  7. This activates your account

  8. If you don't receive the email:

  9. Wait a few minutes (emails can be delayed)

  10. Click "Click here to re-send the email" on the verification page
  11. Check spam/junk folders again

Log In

Once your email is verified:

  1. Go back to https://app.strato.nexus
  2. Click "Log In"
  3. Enter your email/username and password
  4. You're now ready to connect your wallet!

Testnet vs Mainnet

Same registration works for both! Once registered, you can access:

Start with testnet if you're new to DeFi!

Need Help?

If you encounter issues during registration:

Step 2: Set Up Your Wallet

Install MetaMask (if needed)

  1. Install MetaMask browser extension
  2. Create new wallet and securely save your seed phrase
  3. Never share your seed phrase with anyone

Critical Security Warning

Your seed phrase is the ONLY way to recover your wallet. Anyone with it can steal all your funds. Write it down and store it securely offline.

Step 3: Get Assets on STRATO

You need assets on STRATO to participate in DeFi. There are two ways to get them:

Option A: Bridge from Ethereum (Mainnet)

  1. Ensure you have assets on Ethereum mainnet
  2. Go to Deposits (in sidebar) → Bridge In tab
  3. Connect wallet to Ethereum network
  4. Select asset and amount to bridge
  5. Approve transaction on Ethereum (requires ETH for gas)
  6. Wait for bridge confirmation (~5-15 minutes)
  7. Assets appear in your STRATO wallet

Bonus: Free Transaction Vouchers!

When you bridge in assets, you automatically receive 10 free transaction vouchers. These cover your first 10 transactions on STRATO at no cost. After that, transactions cost only 0.01 USDST (~$0.01) each.

Recommended first bridge:

  • 0.1-0.5 ETH (for collateral and fees)
  • Or 500-1000 USDC (for stable collateral)

Understanding Wrapped Tokens

When you bridge assets to STRATO, they automatically become "wrapped" versions:

  • ETH → ETHST (Wrapped ETH on STRATO)
  • WBTC → WBTCST (Wrapped BTC on STRATO)
  • Gold → GOLDST (Tokenized Gold on STRATO)
  • Silver → SILVST (Tokenized Silver on STRATO)

These wrapped tokens work 1:1 with the original and are what you'll use for all STRATO operations (swaps, lending, collateral, etc.). When you bridge back to Ethereum, you receive the original tokens again.

Learn more: Wrapped Tokens Concept

Step 4: Get USDST for Fees

STRATO transactions require USDST for gas fees (typically < $0.10 per transaction).

Quick Ways to Get USDST:

Method 1: Swap - Bridge USDC or USDT - Swap for USDST on STRATO - Keep 10-20 USDST for fees

Method 2: Borrow Small Amount - Bridge collateral (ETH, WBTC) - Borrow 20-50 USDST (see guides below) - Use for transaction fees

Step 5: Test Everything

Before committing large amounts:

  1. Start with small amount (~$50-100)
  2. Try a simple swap
  3. Check transaction confirms quickly
  4. Verify fees are reasonable
  5. Then proceed with larger operations

What's Next?

New to DeFi? Start Here:

First Time User

→ Complete First-Time User Guide - Full walkthrough from getting assets onto STRATO to your first DeFi transaction.

Or learn the fundamentals:

Ready to Use STRATO? Choose Your Feature:

Core DeFi Features

Want to Maximize Your Strategy?

Popular Scenarios

→ View All Scenarios

Common Issues

"Wallet connection failed"

Fix:

  • Unlock your wallet
  • Refresh page
  • Try different browser
  • Disable conflicting extensions

"Insufficient funds for transaction"

Fix:

  • Get USDST for gas fees (see Step 4)
  • Keep at least 10 USDST in wallet

"Transaction failed"

Fix:

  • Check you're on correct network (STRATO)
  • Ensure sufficient USDST for gas
  • Try increasing gas limit slightly
  • Contact support if persists

"Bridge taking too long"

Normal: Ethereum → STRATO bridges take 5-15 minutes

If delayed:

  • Check Ethereum transaction confirmed
  • Contact support with transaction hash
  • Monitor bridge status in app

Need Help?

Security Checklist

Before you start:

  • [ ] Seed phrase backed up securely offline
  • [ ] Never shared seed phrase or private key
  • [ ] Bookmarked official STRATO URL
  • [ ] Verified URL before connecting wallet
  • [ ] Using hardware wallet for large amounts (recommended)
  • [ ] Started with small test amount
  • [ ] Understood liquidation risks
  • [ ] Read safety best practices

Ready? → Choose your path above and start using STRATO DeFi!