Paper trading and simulated funds

Paper mode is a separate simulated portfolio. It lets you use supported trading and strategy workflows without transferring real money. Paper funds cannot be redeemed or withdrawn to a bank or external wallet.

On desktop or mobile web, Profile → Performance → MANUAL shows recorded manual spot results for the selected Paper account and closure period. Paper uses the current simulated portfolio with no account selector or account subtitle; the period control applies to both manual and strategy views without adding their totals. Confirm the displayed Paper mode; it is separate from real-wallet and strategy performance. Only fully closed recorded positions count, using recorded fill prices and explicit fees. The cards show cumulative curves from recorded closes, with larger inspection charts on mobile. Missing costs/history remain unavailable rather than inferred from the simulated balance; unknown costs suppress P/L and win-rate curves while a known closure-count curve can remain. See private manual performance for account selection, costs, read limits and recovery. Results refresh automatically while Manual is visible, with 15 seconds between completed reads; hidden tabs and the Strategies view pause polling. Viewing this summary does not add simulated funds or create a new account.

Switch between Paper and Real money

1. On mobile web, choose Open menu → Settings → Wallets. In desktop Terminal, hover over or click the avatar at the top right, then choose Settings → Wallets. Clicking keeps the account menu open; the account summary at the top of the menu opens your profile instead.
2. Under Trading mode, select Paper or Real money.
3. Read the notice, then choose Switch to paper or Switch to real money. Cancel keeps the previous mode.
4. Confirm the header and trade ticket identify the intended mode. Paper displays Paper cash and Paper · Simulated money.

Switching affects new trades and deployments. Existing orders, positions and strategies remain in their original accounts and continue running. Switching does not transfer balances or stop real-money automation. A disabled Paper choice can reflect account eligibility.

Where the manual perp simulator is enabled, Perps → BTC or ETH → Trade uses the same ticket as Real money, labeled Paper · Simulated money. Its shared Long/Short, size presets, leverage and position controls use Paper balances and execution. It supports isolated 1–5× leverage, market/limit orders, partial/full closes and TP/SL using existing Paper USDC, with simulated fees, funding and liquidation. It requires no wallet setup, signature or venue deposit. Follow the Paper perpetual instructions, including the price-gap and liquidation model limits. Paper perpetual strategies are not supported in this release.

If the ticket says Perp paper trading is not available yet, this feature is not enabled in that release; venue setup does not unlock it. Hyperliquid testnet is a separate venue using test funds, not Astral Paper cash. Its ticket requires an explicit switch to Real money in Settings → Wallets; check its Testnet / Mainnet label afterward. Switching modes does not cancel admitted Paper or venue orders, close positions or stop running strategies.

Add or remove simulated USDC

1. In Paper mode on mobile web, choose Open menu → Settings → Wallets, then Deposit or Withdraw under Paper cash. On desktop, open Paper cash → Deposit or Withdraw from the header, or use the same controls in Settings → Wallets.
2. Read Paper wallet · Simulated money only.
3. Enter Amount · USDC.
4. Choose Deposit simulated USDC or Withdraw simulated USDC.
5. Confirm the Added… simulated USDC or Removed… simulated USDC result, then choose Done.

Only available simulated funds can be withdrawn. Funds allocated to strategies, held for orders or reserved as isolated Paper perpetual margin remain unavailable. Close/reduce a perp position or use its permitted margin-removal control to release collateral. If a request has an uncertain result, the dialog may offer Retry same deposit or Retry same withdraw with the original amount locked; use that existing attempt rather than creating a duplicate adjustment.

For the current simulated withdrawal limit, read Available: … USDC in this dialog rather than treating the header cash or total portfolio value as a withdrawal quote. Paper adjustments have no destination-network, recipient-address, Max or network-fee quote controls; those belong to real transfer flows. Do not submit Withdraw simulated USDC merely to inspect availability.

Trade and monitor

Use the trade ticket for a supported asset and inspect the Paper label before submission. Follow orders and holdings in Positions & Orders. For automated rules, save a strategy, open Deploy, and verify the account/mode and capital before confirming.

Paper, historical backtest and live results can differ. A simulated fill does not establish live liquidity, access or execution quality. Paper mode does not make every research asset tradable. The separate legacy Paper accounts settings tab is hidden in the current navigation; the supported starting point is Wallets → Trading mode.