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

# Trade

DeltaDeFi offers spot trading on an order-book model, powered by Hydra L2 for near-instant execution.

## Key specs

| Metric             | Value                                  |
| ------------------ | -------------------------------------- |
| Avg confirmation   | \~50ms on Hydra L2                     |
| Trading fee        | 0.10% flat (10bps)                     |
| Gas fees           | None                                   |
| Spread vs AMM      | \~5–6x tighter                         |
| Cost per $1K trade | \~$1.40 (vs \~$8.50 on AMM)            |
| Custody            | Non-custodial, L1 settlement guarantee |

## How it works

1. **Connect wallet** — Create a DeltaDeFi account linked to your Cardano wallet address.
2. **Deposit** — Transfer ADA or supported tokens into your trading account.
3. **Trade** — Place limit or market orders on the order book. Orders are matched on Hydra L2 with sub-second confirmation.
4. **Withdraw** — Move funds back to Cardano L1 at any time.

All trades happen on Hydra L2, giving you centralized-exchange speed without giving up custody of your assets.

## Order types

See [Order Types](/about/learn/trade/order-types.md) for details on supported order types including limit orders and market orders.

## API access

DeltaDeFi provides a Binance-compatible REST + WebSocket API for programmatic trading. See [Developers](/start-trading/developers.md) for full API documentation and SDKs in TypeScript, Python, Rust, and Go.