> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.sidepit.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.sidepit.com/readme.md).

# About Sidepit

## A better way to trade

Sidepit is an electronic exchange for hedging and speculating on the U.S. dollar price of Bitcoin. It trades dated, Bitcoin-margined **forwards** and settles in satoshis.

An exchange should concentrate competing interest and discover a price. Sidepit does that without selling priority to the fastest wire. Its **DLOB — one-second deterministic auctions** give orders a shared second, then let the best price win.

Traders compete on price and risk. Not proximity.

## The market

* **Hedgers** use USDBTC to manage the future dollar value of Bitcoin.
* **Speculators** take a view on Bitcoin's dollar price.
* **Liquidity providers** price that flow and compete for the spread.

Sidepit quotes the market in satoshis per future U.S. dollar. The same quote can be shown as forward USD/BTC, today's dollars, spot, JPY, or another user-defined view. Start with [Forward Price](/trader-education/future-price.md).

## How it works

1. A Native SegWit Bitcoin address becomes the Sidepit account.
2. Bitcoin locked from that address becomes trading balance.
3. Signed orders enter DLOB one-second deterministic auctions.
4. Fills update positions, P\&L, margin, and balance.
5. Daily mark-to-market settles the account in satoshis.

The exchange publishes market data, orders, fills, rejections, account state, and signed-action outcomes through an open protocol. Humans can trade directly or authorize a separate agent identity to execute for the same account.

## See the live exchange

No account or credentials are required to read production:

```sh
git clone --branch ProofNet-R2 --recurse-submodules https://github.com/sidepit/Public-API
cd Public-API
python3 -m venv python-client/.venv
python-client/.venv/bin/pip install -r python-client/requirements.txt
python-client/.venv/bin/python examples/quickstart.py
```

The first read returns the exchange state, active dated forward, live quote, contract size, margins, and expiry.

Start with [Onboarding](/use-sidepit/beta/onboarding.md), continue to [Trading](/use-sidepit/beta/trading.md), or open the [Public API repository](https://github.com/sidepit/Public-API) for agent and client instructions.

<figure><img src="/files/I8Imod84P8uJOYwjB8aB" alt="Sidepit agents connected to the exchange"><figcaption><p>Agents are trading.</p></figcaption></figure>


---

# Agent Instructions
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## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.sidepit.com/readme.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

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Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.