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The Full Loop in 60 Seconds

Every ArcX interaction follows the same cycle: 
1. DEPOSIT    →  Send USDC, receive ST + EPT(s)
2. CHOOSE     →  Flash loop (leveraged points) or hold everything or buy more ST (yield)
3. WAIT       →  Epoch ends, strategy unwinds (1-2 days), admin finalizes
4. REDEEM     →  Burn ST → get USDC back. Claim EPT → get PointsTokens.
5. DECIDE     →  Re-deposit into the next epoch, or walk away. No rollover.
The rest of this guide walks through each step in detail.

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Before You Start

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What You Need

ItemDetails
USDCOn Starknet (for direct deposits) or on Ethereum/Arbitrum/Solana (for cross-chain deposits)
A Starknet walletArgent X or Braavos
Gas (STRK or ETH)For Starknet transaction fees. Small amounts, typically under $0.10 per transaction.

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Choosing a Strategy

ArcX runs multiple strategies. Each strategy has its own vault, its own risk profile, and its own epoch schedule.
What to checkWhy it matters
Strategy typeFunding arb = lower risk, lower return. Market making = higher risk, higher return.
Which exchangesDetermines which s you receive (EPT_Pacifica, EPT_Extended, etc.) and which points you earn.
Current Is the deposit window open? How much time remains? Depositing late means fewer credits on your EPT.
Deposit feeVaries by strategy. Funding arb: ~0.01—0.1%. Market making: ~0.3—0.5%.
Historical performancePast NAV trajectory gives you a sense of typical returns. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
There is no minimum deposit enforced by the protocol. However, very small deposits may not be economical after the deposit fee and gas costs. A practical minimum depends on the strategy’s fee rate. At 0.5% fee, a $100 deposit costs $0.50 in fees.
Any Starknet-compatible wallet. The most common options are Argent X and Braavos. For cross-chain deposits, any EVM wallet (MetaMask, Rabby, Coinbase Wallet, etc.) works on the source chain side.
ArcX is a web application. Both Argent X and Braavos have mobile apps with built-in browsers that can access the ArcX interface.

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Step 1: Deposit USDC

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Option A: Direct Deposit (Starknet)

If you already have USDC on Starknet:
1

Connect wallet

Connect your Starknet wallet to the ArcX app.
2

Select strategy

Select the strategy and epoch you want to enter.
3

Enter amount

Enter the USDC amount you want to deposit.
4

Review transaction

Review the transaction summary:
  • Gross deposit: your USDC amount
  • Deposit fee: deducted upfront (e.g., $0.50 on a $100 deposit at 0.5%)
  • Net deposit: USDC after fee (e.g., $99.50)
  • ST shares you’ll receive: based on current NAV
  • EPT you’ll receive: equal to net USDC (e.g., 99.50 EPT per exchange)
5

Confirm

Confirm the transaction in your wallet.
6

Receive tokens

ST + EPT(s) appear in your wallet in the same transaction.
What happens on-chain: 
Your wallet
  → sends 100 USDC to ST Vault
  → receives 99.50 ST shares (at current NAV)
  → receives 99.50 EPT_Pacifica
  → receives 99.50 EPT_Extended (if multi-exchange strategy)
  → credit accrual begins immediately

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Option B: Cross-Chain Deposit (Ethereum / Arbitrum / Solana)

If your USDC is on another chain:
1

Connect wallet

Connect your EVM or Solana wallet to the ArcX cross-chain deposit page.
2

Enter receiver

Enter your Starknet wallet address as the receiver.
3

Enter amount

Enter the USDC amount.
4

Confirm and lock

Confirm the transaction. Your USDC is locked in the escrow contract on your chain.
5

Wait for bridge

Wait for the LayerZero message to deliver (typically 1—5 minutes, worst case ~30 minutes).
6

Receive tokens

ST + EPT(s) are minted to your Starknet wallet at the arrival-time NAV.
Important details:
  • NAV slippage: The NAV when your deposit processes on Starknet may differ slightly from when you initiated. For low-volatility strategies (funding arb), this is negligible.
  • If the message never arrives: After REFUND_TIMEOUT expires, you can call cancel(depositId) on the source chain escrow to get your USDC back. You are never permanently locked out. See How Epochs Work: Refund Path.

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Step 2: Choose Your Path

After depositing, you hold ST + EPT(s). What you do next depends on your goal.

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Path A: Flash Loop (Points Farmer)

Goal: Maximum points exposure with minimal capital.

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The Flash Loop: Capital-Efficient Points

The flash loop is how you get leveraged points exposure. It works atomically: deposit USDC, sell the resulting ST on the ArcX AMM, re-deposit the proceeds, and repeat. Each iteration creates new EPT (which you keep) while recycling ST sale proceeds into more deposits.
1

Deposit USDC

Deposit $100 into a strategy. You receive 100 EPT + ST shares.
2

Sell ST on the ArcX AMM

Sell your ST at the current market price. With a 10% discount to NAV, you receive **$90** in USDC.
3

Re-deposit the proceeds

Deposit the $90 back into the same strategy. You receive 90 EPT + more ST shares.
4

Repeat

Sell ST again (~$81), re-deposit for 81 EPT, and continue. Each iteration adds more EPT at the same effective cost per token.
Worked example (3 iterations, 10% ST discount):
IterationDepositEPT ReceivedST Sale Proceeds
1$100100~$90
2$9090~$81
3$8181~$73
Total~271 EPT
Your effective outlay is ~$27 (the $100 you started with minus the ~$73 you still hold from the final ST sale). That gives you ~271 EPT for ~$27 of net cost, or roughly $0.10 per EPT instead of $1.00 per EPT from a single deposit-and-hold.
Flash loop early in the epoch. Earlier deposits accrue credits for longer, maximizing your share of points at finalization. The flash loop is most valuable at the start of the epoch when time-weighted credit accrual is greatest.
Why this works: Each deposit mints EPT (which you keep) and ST (which you sell). The ST discount is the “price” you pay for points. Yield seekers who buy your discounted ST capture that discount as their return. The two-sided market — points farmers selling ST, yield seekers buying ST — is the core ArcX flywheel.
When to flash loop: As early in the epoch as possible. Earlier deposits accrue credits for longer, maximizing your points share.

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Path B: Buy Discounted ST (Yield Seeker)

Goal: Predictable USDC returns without points exposure. Points farmers dump ST on the ArcX AMM at a discount. You buy it.
1

Browse the ArcX AMM

Check the ST/USDC pool for available discounted ST.
2

Buy ST at a discount

Buy ST at $0.90 (10% discount to NAV).
3

Hold until maturity

The strategy earns ~1% over the epoch. ST redeems at ~$1.01. Monitor the strategy’s NAV via the ArcX dashboard.
4

Redeem after finalization

After the admin finalizes the epoch, call redeemST() to receive your USDC. Your return = (redemption price - purchase price) per ST. Example: ($1.01 - $0.90) / $0.90 = 12.2% in one epoch.
Annualized: If epochs run ~3 months, that’s roughly ~49% annualized. You don’t care about points at all. Risk: Strategy PnL could be negative (ST redeems below $1.00). AMM liquidity risk if you need to exit early.

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Path C: Hold Everything (Depositor)

Goal: Maximize both USDC returns and points. What to do: Nothing. Your ST tracks the strategy’s NAV. Your EPT accrues credits every second. At finalization, you redeem both. Best for: Depositors who want the full package: strategy returns + points.

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Step 3: During the Epoch

You can monitor your position on the ArcX interface:
  • ST share value: Based on current NAV (updates every 5 minutes)
  • EPT credit accrual: Estimated points earned so far
  • Strategy performance: NAV chart, current
  • Epoch countdown: Time remaining until maturity
You have two options:
  1. Hold. The strategy may recover. You still earn points regardless of PnL. Wait for finalization and assess.
  2. Sell ST on the ArcX AMM. You exit the USDC risk immediately (at market price). Keep your EPT to continue earning points.
You cannot redeem ST early. The only pre-maturity exit is selling on the ArcX AMM.

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Step 4: Epoch Ends, Wait for Finalization

When the epoch ends:
  1. No more deposits accepted. The deposit window closes.
  2. Strategy unwinds. ArcX closes positions on the perp DEXes and returns capital to the Starknet vault. This takes 1—2 days.
  3. Oracles report. The NAV Oracle publishes the final NAV. The Final Points Oracle reports total points earned.
  4. Admin calls finalize(). This locks in the conversion ratios.
During this waiting period:
  • Your tokens still exist
  • You cannot redeem ST or claim EPT yet
  • Credit accrual has stopped (it ended at epoch close)
  • No action required from you

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Step 5: Redeem

Once the epoch is finalized, you can redeem. There is no deadline. Redeem whenever you want.

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Redeem ST for USDC

1

Go to redemption page

Go to the ArcX redemption page.
2

Select epoch

Select the finalized epoch.
3

Enter amount

Enter how many ST shares to redeem (all or partial).
4

Confirm

Confirm the transaction.
What happens: 
Your ST shares are burned
You receive: shares × finalNAV / totalShares = USDC
No fee on ST redemption
Example: You hold 99.50 ST shares. Final NAV = $51,400. Total shares = 50,099.50. 
USDC out = 99.50 / 50,099.50 × $51,400 = $102.08

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Claim EPT for PointsTokens

1

Go to claims page

Go to the ArcX claims page.
2

Select EPT

Select the finalized epoch and the EPT you want to claim.
3

Confirm

Confirm the transaction.
What happens: 
Your credits are settled (final checkpoint)
Gross points = yourCredits × (totalPoints / totalCredits)
Redemption fee deducted
Net PointsTokens minted to your wallet

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Step 6: What to Do with PointsTokens

After claiming, you hold PointsTokens (xPC, xHL, etc.) in your wallet. These persist across epochs and accumulate.

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Before TGE

ActionDetails
HoldAccumulate PointsTokens across multiple epochs. Wait for the exchange’s TGE.
TradePointsTokens are standard ERC20s, tradeable on Starknet DEXs.
SpeculateIf you believe the TGE will be generous, hold. If you want USDC now, sell on the market.
PointsToken trading is available on Starknet DEXs. Check the ArcX dashboard for current liquidity venues.

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After TGE

When the exchange conducts its TGE and distributes airdrop tokens:
  1. ArcX receives the airdrop tokens
  2. ArcX deposits them into the Redemption Module
  3. A conversion rate is set: redemptionRate = totalAirdropTokens / totalPointsTokenSupply
  4. Go to the ArcX redemption page
  5. Burn your PointsTokens → receive airdrop tokens
Multi-tranche: Airdrops often come in batches (initial + vesting). You don’t have to redeem all at once. Burn some now, keep the rest for later batches when the rate may be higher.

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Step 7: The Next Epoch

There is no automatic rollover. When a new epoch opens:
  1. Redeem your ST from the previous epoch (if you haven’t already)
  2. Evaluate: do you want to re-enter? Same strategy? Different one?
  3. Deposit into the new epoch. You’ll receive new ST and EPT tokens
Yes. Epochs are independent. You can be redeeming from Epoch 7 (FINALIZED) while depositing into Epoch 8 (ACTIVE). The tokens are separate contracts. ST-E007 and ST-E008 don’t interact.

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Common Scenarios

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”I deposited from Ethereum and nothing happened.”

Cross-chain deposits go through LayerZero. Typical delivery: 1—5 minutes. Worst case: ~30 minutes.
  • Check the escrow: Your USDC is locked in the SourceChainDepositEscrow on Ethereum. This is verifiable on-chain.
  • Wait: Most messages arrive within 5 minutes.
  • If it’s been 30+ minutes: The message may have failed. Wait for REFUND_TIMEOUT to expire, then call cancel(depositId) on the escrow to get your USDC back.
  • Your USDC is safe. Either it arrives on Starknet (minting your tokens) or you self-rescue via the refund timeout.

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”I want maximum points. What’s the optimal strategy?”

  1. Deposit as early as possible in the epoch. More time = more credit accrual
  2. Execute the flash loop immediately for maximum EPT exposure
  3. Earlier flash loop iterations earn more credits than later ones
  4. Don’t deposit near epoch end expecting significant points

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”The epoch is finalized but I’m not in a rush to redeem.”

No penalty. There is no expiry on redemptions. Redeem anytime after finalization. Days, weeks, or months later.

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Quick Reference: What Can I Do When?

ActionDuring ACTIVEDuring MATURITYAfter FINALIZED
Deposit USDCYesNoNo
Flash loop (deposit + sell ST + re-deposit)YesNoNo
Buy/sell ST on ArcX AMMYesYesYes (but you can also redeem)
Redeem ST for USDCNoNoYes
Claim EPT for PointsTokensNoNoYes
Earn credits on EPTYesNo (stopped at epoch end)No
Burn PointsTokens for airdropN/AN/AAfter TGE only

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Fees Summary

FeeWhenAmountWhat it covers
Deposit feeOn USDC depositVaries by strategy (0.01%—0.5%)Bridge costs, operational overhead, sandwich defense
Redemption feeOn EPT → PointsToken claimConfigurable (TBD)Protocol revenue
ST redemptionOn ST → USDC redemptionNoneNone
AMM swap feesOn every ArcX AMM tradeStandard ratesAMM protocol fee (not ArcX revenue)
GasOn every Starknet transactionUnder $0.10 typicalStarknet network fee

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Checklist: Your First Epoch

1

Get USDC

Get USDC on Starknet (or on Ethereum/Arbitrum/Solana for cross-chain).
2

Set up wallet

Set up a Starknet wallet (Argent X or Braavos). Fund it with STRK/ETH for gas.
3

Choose a strategy

Check strategy type, exchanges, fee, and current epoch status.
4

Deposit USDC

Review the transaction summary, confirm in wallet. Verify tokens arrived.
5

Choose your path

Flash loop for points? Buy discounted ST for yield? Or hold everything?
6

Wait for finalization

Epoch ends + settlement (1—2 days). No action needed.
7

Redeem

Redeem ST for USDC. Claim EPT for PointsTokens.
8

Decide next epoch

Decide whether to re-deposit into the next epoch.

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Next Steps

Credit Mathematics

Understand exactly how your points are calculated.

EPT Pricing

Learn about flash loop economics and ST pricing dynamics.