> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.checkpoint.exchange/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Quickstart
> Learn the essentials of Checkpoint and explore its core capabilities
Get familiar with the core elements of the Checkpoint Exchange. This guide walks you through the app
and explains what to keep in mind when interacting with the protocol.
## What is Checkpoint?
Checkpoint is a decentralized protocol that bridges offchain loyalty points and rewards programs
with onchain liquidity. It enables seamless tokenization, trading, and settlement of points before
a Token Generation Event (TGE), giving users a way to bring real utility to their offchain rewards.
Turning isolated points programs into a unified layer of value, where rewards can move freely, be
verified, and find real market liquidity.
Learn more about Checkpoints products and ecosystem.
## Getting Started
### Points Aggregator
To get started with Checkpoint, you only need to navigate to the app and have an EVM compatible
address. You do not have to connect your own wallet. Simply paste any address, ENS, or Clusters name
to see the points allocated to it.
Checkpoint automatically resolves the address and activates the Points Aggregator, giving you an
overview of rewards collected across supported protocols.
If you do not have an address yet, use any of these links to see it in action:
* [**mrbang** ](https://checkpoint.exchange/?address=0x69155e7ca2e688ccdc247f6c4ddf374b3ae77bd6)
(0x69155e7ca2e688ccdc247f6c4ddf374b3ae77bd6)
* [**vitalik.eth** ](https://checkpoint.exchange/?address=0xd8da6bf26964af9d7eed9e03e53415d37aa96045)
(0xd8da6bf26964af9d7eed9e03e53415d37aa96045)
* [**khunchan.eth** ](https://checkpoint.exchange/?address=0x4cb75146e98562c9d79b31649c6c739e4dcb7cd5)
(0x4cb75146e98562c9d79b31649c6c739e4dcb7cd5)
The Points Aggregator only requires an EVM compatible address, but Checkpoint is built on a
universal identifier model. The protocol is not limited to addresses and can work with any unique
identifier capable of holding points.
Built on a universal identifier model, supporting unique IDs to display integrated points.
### Points Exchange
The Points Aggregator gives users an overview of collected points. The Exchange takes it a step
further by allowing those points to be traded.
To place an offer, users must own the wallet where the points are allocated to. Navigating markets
does not require a wallet connection, but interacting with buy or sell offers does.
The process differs slightly depending on the action being taken.
After connecting a wallet, select the offer you wish to fill. Choose the quantity you want to
purchase and press **buy** to initiate the transaction.
First deposit your points. Once deposited, set the price, points amount, and collateral, then
press **sell** to initiate listing your offer.
### Buying Points
When buying tokenized points, you are entering into a fill agreement with the seller. This agreement is secured by an escrow smart contract that manages settlement once the Token Generation Event (TGE) occurs.
It is recommended to understand how buying and settlement work before interacting with the protocol.
[Learn more about the Points Exchange →](/core-products/point-exchange)
Visit any supported market to view active offers. On standard escrowable markets, fills mint
`chXXX` 1:1 with points. On non-custodial markets, stronger collateral backing can mint more
`chXXX` for the same points amount.
Select an offer you wish to fill, this will prompt the trade panel to interact with it.
In the trade panel, adjust how much of the offer you want to fill.
Committed funds will remain in the escrow smart contract until settlement or other parameters have been triggered.
When ready, press **buy** to initiate the fill.
Shortly after, your `chXXX` escrow tokens will arrive. These tokens follow the LayerZero
Omnichain Fungible Token (OFT) standard, allowing you to bridge them across supported chains.
On standard escrowable markets, the mint is 1:1 with the filled points amount. On
non-custodial markets, the amount you receive depends on the offer's collateral weight.
Checkpoint does currently not have a secondary market for chXXX
### Settlement for Buyers
The funds you used to fill the order are held in an escrow smart contract. They are released to
the seller only after the seller initiates a valid settlement.
Settlement is not a 1:1 conversion between points and `chXXX` tokens. Final settlement is
calculated pro-rata across the full market for that points program. If some sellers fail to
settle on time, their filled USDC and collateral are pooled and redistributed globally to escrow
holders.
### Selling Points
Before selling any points, you must first deposit your accumulated points. This process mints a soulbound NFT to your wallet address, which enables you to sell deposited points on the Checkpoint Exchange.
When creating a sell offer, you will need to define several parameters, including collateral to back the points you wish to sell. Once created, your offer escrows the collateral until settlement or other conditions are met. It is important to understand how the protocol operates before engaging with it.
[Learn more about the Points Exchange →](/core-products/point-exchange)
Go to any supported market where you hold eligible points.
If you have not yet deposited points, or your balance has increased, visit the Deposit Points section to deposit your updated amount.
Return to the trading panel and open the Sell tab. Enter your sell parameters, including price,
points amount, and collateral. On non-custodial markets, each market can define an ideal USDC
collateral-per-point target, and your collateral level affects how much `chXXX` buyers mint
when they fill the offer.
Committed collateral remains locked in the escrow smart contract until settlement or other parameters have been triggered.
When ready, place your sell offer. This action locks the associated collateral and makes your offer available for buyers to fill.
### Settlement for Sellers
When you initiate a sell offer, the collateral you provided is held in an escrow smart contract. Once a buyer fills your offer, their funds are also held in escrow until settlement.
After settlement, your collateral and the buyer’s payment are released to you, minus protocol fees.
You can cancel an open offer (subject to a cancellation fee) if it has not been filled. Offers that
have been partially filled cannot be cancelled.
Buyers may reverse an escrow if the oracle detects irregularities in point allocations. Failure to
settle by the deadline moves your filled USDC and collateral into the market-wide redistribution
pool for that points program.
## Explore Core Products
Checkpoint offers a suite of products and features designed to bridge offchain rewards with
onchain liquidity. Many are operational, while additional features and integrations are currently
in development.
Learn more about the core components that power the Checkpoint ecosystem below.
Buy and sell tokenized points before they hit the market.
View points collected across connected protocols and projects.
Converting offchain points into onchain trackable tokens.
Integrate point data into your apps and dashboards with ease.
Track your own point history or explore the histories of others.
A soulbound NFT representing your accumulated points per protocol.
## Listing on Checkpoint
Checkpoint has a few key requirements for listing a protocol or project on the Points Aggregator.
Being listed on the aggregator is a prerequisite but not a guarantee for becoming a tradable market.
If you want to see your favorite points system onboarded, here are the main things to keep in mind:
Protocols listed on Checkpoint must provide an open and accessible points API.
Stability is essential for the protocol to function properly.
While not mandatory, having an engaged community increases the value of integration and ensures
the data is meaningful to users.
Also not required, but helpful for mapping total value locked (TVL) and related analytics.
To list your project on Checkpoint, reach out to the team or join the community to begin the
process. Power users may put a PR for integration.
## Foundation of the Points Economy
Checkpoint’s onchain layer is built on a modular system of smart contracts that operate in sync.
The five outlined below are essential to the protocol today, with more components being developed to
expand its capabilities.
**Central registry for all points programs with configurable parameters**
* Program registration and management
**Handles tokenization of offchain points into onchain assets**
* Oracle-verified point deposits
* Soulbound NFT minting for tracking
**Cryptographic verification system for offchain claims**
* ECDSA signature verification
* Nonce-based replay protection
* Time-based expiry validation
**Decentralized order book for pre-TGE trading**
* Collateral-based offer creation
* USDC payment processing
* Escrow token distribution
* Order matching and settlement
**Crosschain token distribution after TGE**
* LayerZero message communication
* Token distribution logic
## Get more Technical
Dive deep into how Checkpoint works under the hood
Explore the complete technical reference
**Need Help?** Join our [Discord community](https://discord.gg/fJ5dJbxxTT) for technical support
and discussions.