Paper Trading
$10,000 virtual USDC. Same markets, same prices, same logic. Zero risk.
How It Works
Paper trading gives you a virtual balance to practice with. Every trade uses real-time Polymarket data, but no actual funds are at risk. Paper positions settle when markets resolve, just like real ones.
Paper activity is tracked completely separately from live trading.
Enabling Paper Mode
Global Toggle
Use the Paper/Live switch in the top navigation bar. When active:
- A red PAPER indicator appears
- All trades, positions, and orders use virtual funds
- A confirmation dialog prevents accidental toggles
Where It Applies
| Feature | In Paper Mode |
|---|---|
| Trading (Bet Modal) | Uses virtual $10,000 balance. “PAPER” badge shown. |
| Copy Trading | Copied trades execute with virtual USDC. |
| Positions | Paper positions shown separately. |
| Orders | Paper orders tagged with “PAPER” type. |
| Portfolio | Analytics show paper performance only. |
Why Paper Trade
Test copy configs before committing real money. Run multiple at once to compare traders.
Learn the platform without worrying about mistakes or losses.
Validate settings like copy ratio, bet sizes, and risk orders under real market conditions.
Practice risk management with stop-loss, take-profit, and trailing stops.
Limitations
- Paper trades don’t affect real market liquidity
- Virtual balance cannot be withdrawn
- Paper and real activities never mix
Going Live
- Review your paper P&L, win rate, and trade history.
- Note the settings that worked: ratio, limits, filters, stop-loss.
- Toggle Paper Mode off.
- Fund your wallet (see Wallet & Deposits).
- Create a real config with the same settings.
- Start conservative: lower ratio (0.5x), scale up as results confirm.
You can run the same config in both paper and live mode simultaneously to compare execution quality.