> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.trady.xyz/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Transaction Lifecycle

> What actually happens between your click and tokens in your wallet: request, quote, checks, execution.

What actually happens between your click and tokens in your wallet. Worth two minutes — knowing the pipeline makes the [settings](/trading/transaction-settings) and the [failure modes](/troubleshooting/failed-transactions) obvious.

## The four phases

### 1. Request

You click Buy/Sell. The request captures your intent — token, amount, and your [transaction settings](/trading/transaction-settings) (slippage cap, priority fee, MEV mode).

### 2. Quote

Your trade is priced against live liquidity: expected output, price impact, routing. What you see on the review screen is this quote. Your approval signs it with session-scoped permissions — authorizing this trade, not open-ended control of your wallet.

### 3. Checks

Before broadcast, the trade passes risk checks: the quote is still valid within your slippage cap, the route is still live, token-level red flags (honeypot patterns, transfer restrictions) haven't tripped. A trade that fails checks reverts here — costing you nothing but a retry.

### 4. Execution

The transaction is built with your priority fee and MEV routing applied, and lands on-chain. Confirmation shows the moment the trade is final — the position appears in your [Portfolio](/portfolio/portfolio-positions) as soon as it's real.

```mermaid theme={null}
flowchart LR
    A["1 · Request<br/>token · amount · settings"] --> B["2 · Quote<br/>live liquidity · routing"]
    B --> C["3 · Checks<br/>slippage · route · red flags"]
    C --> D["4 · Execution<br/>priority fee · MEV routing"]
    C -.->|checks fail| R["Reverted<br/>nothing spent, retry"]
    D --> P["Position live in Portfolio"]
```

## Trading across chains

Trades execute on the token's chain, from that chain's USDC balance. When your funds sit on the other chain, the built-in bridge moves USDC over in one click (0.50%, min \$0.50 — see [Fees & Tiers](/fees-rewards/fees)); the bridge leg adds the destination chain's confirmation time. Details: [USDC Balance & Bridge](/portfolio/usdc-balance).