# Backing a Project Backing a project on Loadout simply means buying its token. Every trade you make contributes fees that go directly toward funding game development. You’re not just speculating — you’re helping fund the games you believe in. ### How to Back a Project 1. **Browse Projects** — Check trending, new launches, or search for games that interest you. 2. **Do your research** — Look at the demo, design docs, team background, roadmap, and treasury progress. 3. **Connect your wallet** — Use any Solana wallet (Phantom, Solflare, etc.). 4. **Buy the token** — Enter the amount and confirm the transaction. That’s it. No whitelists, no waiting periods, and no complicated vesting schedules. ### What You’re Actually Getting When you buy a project token on Loadout: * You receive tokens immediately * You can sell at any time (liquidity is available from day one) * 4% of every trade goes to the project treasury to fund development * You’re backing the studio while having the chance to benefit if the game succeeds It’s speculation with real purpose. Your trading activity helps build the game you’re trading. ### Evaluating Projects Before you ape, check the basics: #### Must-Haves * Playable demo (you should be able to try the game) * Clear team information and background * Game Design Document (GDD) * Realistic roadmap #### Positive Signals * Regular updates from the team * Growing number of holders * Active and growing community (Discord, socials) * Visible use of treasury funds * Improving demo and game progress #### Red Flags * No demo, just "coming soon" * Anonymous team with no history * Vague roadmap * Treasury draining with no visible progress * Dead socials #### The 5% Trading Fee Yes, there's a 5% fee on every trade. That's the point. 4% goes directly to the project treasury to fund development. \ 1% supports the platform and rewards. Think of it like NFT royalties. Traders accepted 5% creator fees because the money went to the artist. On Loadout, the money goes to building the game. If you're day-trading purely for quick flips, Loadout probably isn't your platform. If you're backing games you believe in with a longer time horizon, the fee is what makes the whole model work. ## Before vs After Graduation #### Pre-Graduation * Trading happens on the bonding curve. * 5% fee applies (4% to treasury, 1% to protocol). * The project is working toward reaching 60 SOL. #### Post-Graduation * The project moves to a Meteora DLMM pool with deeper liquidity. * Same 5% fee structure * Deeper liquidity, tighter spreads * Project has proven initial demand Graduation does not change your tokens. It simply means the project has proven initial demand and now trades on stronger infrastructure. ### Risk Let's be clear: most projects will fail. Games are hard to ship. Teams overestimate what they can deliver. Hype fades. Attention moves elsewhere. This is true for all of game development, and Loadout doesn't change that. What Loadout does: * Early access to evaluate projects * Real liquidity so you can exit if needed * Transparency around treasury usage and progress What Loadout doesn't do: * Guarantee any project will succeed * Protect you from bad investments * Promise returns Always invest only what you can afford to lose and do your own research. --- # Agent Instructions: 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: ``` GET https://loadout.gitbook.io/product-docs/for-traders/backing-projects.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. 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.