> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.stonkme.fun/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Stakes and tiers

> Why every trader puts money in first, and how much.

A trader's **stake** is a USDC vault in their name. It's the only place collateral can come from when they join a market. Anyone can deposit into it, which is how a [token launch](/trade/launch-a-token) raise arrives.

## How much stake a trade needs

Each stock has a tier, and the tier sets how much collateral a trader needs per dollar they hold in it:

| Tier | Stake per dollar held | Examples |
| - | - | - |
| USDC | 0% | Cash in the sleeve |
| **Index** | 20% | S\&P 500, Nasdaq 100, gold, sector and country funds |
| **Big tech** | 40% | NVIDIA, Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta |
| **High volatility** | 100% | Strategy, Coinbase, Robinhood, SpaceX, leveraged funds |

So a trader holding $500 of NVIDIA needs $200 of collateral behind it; holding $500 of Coinbase needs $500. The full list is on the [stocks page](/mechanics/stocks).

## The checks on every trade

1. **Allowlist.** The stock must be one the market allows.
2. **Per-trade cap.** One trade can use at most half of the trader's slice.
3. **Fill price.** The venue's fill must be within 1% of the oracle price.
4. **Margin.** After the trade, the trader's collateral must still cover the tier requirement on every position.

A trade that fails any check is rejected before anything moves.

## Withdrawing

A trader can withdraw their stake when they have no open sleeves, except the part a token launch put there, which stays locked for good.


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