Skip to main content

Getting Started

This guide walks you through everything you need to set up and begin using PredMart — whether you plan to lend USDC to earn yield, borrow USDC against your Polymarket shares, or both. By the end of this page, you'll have a fully configured wallet, understand the on-chain approvals required, and know how to navigate the PredMart interface.

Prerequisites​

Before you can use PredMart, you'll need the following:

1. A Crypto Wallet​

PredMart supports any Ethereum-compatible wallet that works with the Polygon network. The most commonly used wallets include:

  • MetaMask — The most popular browser extension wallet. Available for Chrome, Firefox, Brave, and Edge. Download from metamask.io.
  • Coinbase Wallet — A mobile and browser wallet by Coinbase.
  • WalletConnect — A protocol that lets you connect mobile wallets (like Trust Wallet, Rainbow, etc.) by scanning a QR code.

If you don't have a wallet yet, we recommend MetaMask for its simplicity and widespread support. Install the browser extension and follow the setup wizard to create a new wallet. Write down and securely store your seed phrase — this is the only way to recover your wallet if you lose access.

2. USDC on Polygon​

PredMart operates on the Polygon (formerly Matic) blockchain network. All transactions — lending, borrowing, collateral deposits, repayments — use USDC.e (bridged USDC) on Polygon.

If you already have USDC on Polygon, you're ready to go. If your USDC is on Ethereum mainnet or another chain, you'll need to bridge it to Polygon. Common bridging options include:

  • Polygon Bridge — The official bridge at portal.polygon.technology
  • Centralized exchanges — Many exchanges (Coinbase, Binance, Kraken) support direct USDC withdrawals to the Polygon network

You'll also need a small amount of MATIC (Polygon's native gas token) to pay for transaction fees. Gas fees on Polygon are extremely low — typically less than $0.01 per transaction. Most bridges and exchanges allow you to send MATIC directly to Polygon.

3. Polymarket Shares (For Borrowers)​

If you plan to borrow USDC, you'll need Polymarket outcome shares to deposit as collateral. These are ERC-1155 tokens from Polymarket's Conditional Token Framework (CTF) contract. You acquire these by trading on Polymarket.

If you're new to Polymarket, see What is Polymarket? for a comprehensive introduction.

If you only plan to lend USDC to the pool (and not borrow), you do not need Polymarket shares.

Connecting to PredMart​

Step 1: Visit PredMart​

Navigate to predmart.com in your browser. Make sure you have your wallet extension installed and configured for the Polygon network.

Step 2: Connect Your Wallet​

Click the "Connect Wallet" button in the top-right corner of the PredMart interface. A wallet selection modal will appear, showing all supported wallet providers. Select your wallet type (e.g., MetaMask).

Your wallet will prompt you to approve the connection. This step does not transfer any funds or grant PredMart any permissions over your assets — it simply allows the website to see your wallet address and request transaction signatures.

Step 3: Sign In with Ethereum (SIWE)​

After connecting your wallet, PredMart will ask you to sign a message to verify that you own the connected wallet. This is called Sign-In with Ethereum (SIWE) — an industry-standard authentication method that doesn't require a username or password.

The message you sign contains:

  • Your wallet address
  • A nonce (random value to prevent replay attacks)
  • The PredMart domain name

Signing this message is free (no gas fee) and does not grant PredMart any control over your funds. It simply proves that you own the wallet, similar to how signing in with Google proves you own a Google account.

After signing, PredMart issues a JWT (JSON Web Token) that authenticates your API requests for the duration of your session.

Setting Up for Lending​

If you want to supply USDC to the lending pool and earn yield, you need to complete one additional step:

USDC Approval​

Before depositing USDC into the lending pool, you must approve the PredMart lending pool contract to spend your USDC. This is a standard ERC-20 approval transaction required by the Polygon blockchain.

  1. Navigate to the Lending page on PredMart
  2. Enter the amount of USDC you wish to deposit
  3. If this is your first deposit, PredMart will prompt you to approve the contract first
  4. Confirm the approval transaction in your wallet (this requires a small gas fee in MATIC)
  5. Once approved, you can proceed to deposit
tip

You can approve an unlimited amount to avoid repeating this step for future deposits. However, if you prefer to limit your exposure, you can approve only the exact amount you plan to deposit.

After approval, you can deposit USDC into the pool. See the Lending guide for detailed instructions on depositing, monitoring your yield, and withdrawing.

Setting Up for Borrowing​

Borrowing on PredMart requires a few more setup steps because you're working with Polymarket's ERC-1155 tokens (CTF shares) as collateral.

Step 1: CTF Token Approval​

You must approve PredMart's lending pool contract to transfer your Polymarket shares (CTF tokens). This is an ERC-1155 setApprovalForAll transaction — it grants the contract permission to move any of your CTF tokens (across all markets) in and out of the pool.

  1. Navigate to the Borrowing section on PredMart
  2. PredMart will check if you've already approved the CTF contract
  3. If not, it will prompt you to approve — confirm the transaction in your wallet
  4. This is a one-time approval that covers all current and future Polymarket shares
info

The setApprovalForAll approval is standard for ERC-1155 tokens and is the same type of approval that Polymarket itself requests when you set up trading. It allows the PredMart contract to transfer your shares, but only in the specific ways defined by the contract's code (depositing collateral, returning collateral on withdrawal, etc.).

Step 2: Trading Setup (Optional)​

If you plan to use borrowed USDC to trade on Polymarket (the leveraged trading use case), you may also need to set up a Polymarket trading account through PredMart's interface. This involves:

  1. CLOB Authentication: Generating API credentials for Polymarket's orderbook. PredMart provides EIP-712 typed data for you to sign, which generates HMAC credentials for the CLOB API.

  2. Safe Wallet Deployment: Polymarket uses Gnosis Safe smart wallets for order execution. If you haven't already deployed one through Polymarket, PredMart can deploy one for you. This requires signing an EIP-712 message and a small gas transaction.

  3. Token Approvals for Trading: The Safe wallet needs to approve both USDC and CTF tokens for Polymarket's exchange contract.

PredMart's interface guides you through each of these steps with clear prompts. The trading setup status is available at any time through the interface.

Home Page​

The PredMart home page displays an overview of active prediction markets available on Polymarket. You can browse markets by category, view trending topics, and search for specific events. Each market card shows the current price (probability), trading volume, and whether PredMart lending is available for that market.

Market Detail Page​

Clicking on a market takes you to the Market Detail page, where you can:

  • View detailed market information and resolution criteria
  • See the price chart and orderbook
  • Place buy/sell orders on Polymarket through PredMart's interface
  • View your existing position (if any)
  • Access the borrow flow to deposit shares as collateral and take a loan

Lending Page​

The Lending page is where you manage your USDC supply position:

  • View the current pool statistics (total supplied, total borrowed, utilization)
  • See the current supply APY and borrow APR
  • Deposit or withdraw USDC
  • View historical rate charts (1 week, 1 month, 6 month windows)
  • Monitor your pUSDC balance and its USDC value

Profile Page​

Your Profile page shows:

  • All your active Polymarket positions (shares held in your wallet)
  • Your lending position (USDC supplied and yield earned)
  • Your borrowing positions (collateral deposited, debt owed, health factors)
  • Transaction history (deposits, borrows, repayments, liquidations)
  • PnL (Profit and Loss) metrics

Settings Page​

The Settings page allows you to:

  • Update your display name and profile information
  • View your wallet address and connection status

Understanding Gas Fees​

All transactions on PredMart require gas fees paid in MATIC on the Polygon network. The good news is that Polygon gas fees are extremely low compared to Ethereum mainnet:

OperationTypical Gas Cost
USDC Approval< $0.01
CTF Approval< $0.01
USDC Deposit (Lending)< $0.01
USDC Withdrawal (Lending)< $0.01
Collateral Deposit (Borrowing)< $0.01
Borrow (via relay)Free for user*
Repay< $0.01
Collateral Withdrawal (via relay)Free for user*

*Operations marked "via relay" are submitted by PredMart's backend, which pays the gas fee on your behalf. You sign a message (free), and PredMart's relayer submits the transaction and covers the gas cost.

Security Best Practices​

When using PredMart — or any DeFi protocol — keep these security practices in mind:

  1. Verify the URL: Always make sure you're on predmart.com. Bookmark the site to avoid phishing attempts.

  2. Review transactions: Before confirming any transaction in your wallet, review the details carefully. Make sure the contract address and amounts match what you expect.

  3. Start small: If you're new to PredMart, start with a small amount to familiarize yourself with the interface and mechanics before committing larger sums.

  4. Monitor your health factor: If you're borrowing, keep a close eye on your position's health factor. If it drops below 1.0, your position will be liquidated. See Liquidation for details.

  5. Understand the risks: Lending and borrowing involve risk. Lenders may experience losses from bad debt. Borrowers may be liquidated if their collateral value drops. Read the relevant documentation pages to fully understand these risks before participating.

Next Steps​

You're now set up and ready to use PredMart. Continue to one of the following guides based on what you want to do:

  • Lending — Supply USDC and earn yield from borrower interest payments
  • Borrowing — Deposit Polymarket shares as collateral and borrow USDC
  • Leveraged Trading — Use borrowed USDC to amplify your prediction market positions