# Connect wallet

HermesTrade works with any EVM-compatible wallet. The connection flow has two parts: linking your wallet and deploying a smart wallet that enables gasless trading.

**Supported wallets:** MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet, and any WalletConnect-compatible wallet.

## Steps

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Connect your wallet

Click **Connect Wallet** in the top-right corner of the app. The wallet selector appears — choose your wallet and approve the connection request. No gas is spent here; you are just authorising the app to read your address.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Deploy your smart wallet

HermesTrade deploys a **Safe smart wallet** linked to your EOA. This is a one-time on-chain transaction that requires a small amount of MON to cover the deployment gas.

The app will prompt you to confirm the deployment transaction in your wallet. Once the transaction is mined, your smart wallet address is live.

{% hint style="info" %}
**You only need MON for this initial deployment.** All subsequent trades are gasless — the Relayer covers gas fees on your behalf. Keep just enough MON to cover the deployment, then fund your account with collateral for trading.
{% endhint %}

The platform confirms deployment by polling `GET /deployed` on the Relayer. Trading is enabled as soon as `deployed: true` is returned.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Authenticate with EIP-712

After your wallet is connected, you will be prompted to sign a login message. This is **not a transaction** — it costs no gas and does not move funds. It is a cryptographic proof that you control the connected address.

Internally, the app fetches a nonce from `GET /auth/nonce`, constructs an EIP-712 typed message, and asks your wallet to sign it. The resulting signature is sent to `POST /auth/login`, which returns a JWT used to authenticate Gamma API and Relayer requests.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Verify your setup

Once deployed and authenticated, the app shows your wallet address, smart wallet address, and available balance. You are ready to fund your account and start trading.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

## EOA vs. proxy wallet

Two addresses are associated with your account:

| Address                 | Role                                                                                                             |
| ----------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **EOA (your wallet)**   | Signs messages and transactions. This is the address in MetaMask or your hardware wallet.                        |
| **Proxy wallet (Safe)** | Holds your funds and executes trades on-chain. This address appears as `proxyWallet` in your profile and orders. |

When you place a trade, your EOA signs the order off-chain. The signed order is submitted to the CLOB, and settlement happens through your proxy wallet. You never expose your EOA private key to on-chain execution.

{% content-ref url="/pages/XeMIAEvmMFnogdTcXnfU" %}
[Place your first trade](/getting-started/place-first-trade.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}


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