# Quick Start

> Start copying a Hyperliquid trader in five steps — connect MetaMask, choose an exposure level and a leader, sign the trading key, link Telegram or skip it.

Setup takes about five minutes: a free sign-in message when you connect, then a single signature for the trading key. Nothing more. Here is the whole flow, from the home page to your dashboard:

![The whole setup in demo mode: connect, paste a leader, pick a level, sign, link Telegram.](https://waketrades.com/docs/img/quick-start.gif)

## Before You Start

- **MetaMask** — the browser extension on a computer, or the MetaMask app on a phone.
- **A Hyperliquid account with USDC on it.** Hyperliquid only accepts a trading key from an account that has received a deposit.
- **Telegram** (optional) — for alerts on your phone. You can skip it: copying starts anyway, with alerts on the site only, and you can link Telegram later from your Profile. (An AI agent links a webhook or Telegram.)
- **A trader to copy** — any Hyperliquid address (it starts with `0x`). No trader in mind? We suggest one from our [Monthly Report](https://waketrades.com/docs/leaders/monthly-report.md).

## The Five Steps

1. **[Connect your wallet](https://waketrades.com/docs/getting-started/connect-wallet.md).** Click **Connect wallet** and sign in with MetaMask. Signing in is free and sends no transaction.
2. **[Choose your exposure level](https://waketrades.com/docs/getting-started/choose-risk-level.md).** Prudent, Balanced (selected by default), Risky or Advanced.
3. **[Choose a leader](https://waketrades.com/docs/getting-started/choose-a-leader.md).** Keep the trader we suggest for your level, or paste another address, and check their last 90 or 30 days.
4. **[Sign the trading key](https://waketrades.com/docs/getting-started/sign-trading-key.md).** One signature creates a key that can trade for your copies and can never withdraw.
5. **[Link Telegram](https://waketrades.com/docs/getting-started/link-telegram.md).** Tap **Start** in our bot, or choose **Skip for now**. Copying starts, and so does your 14-day free trial.

> [!TIP]
> Only the trades your leader opens **after** you start are copied. Positions your leader already holds are not.

## What Happens Next

When your leader opens a trade, the same trade opens on your account at your scale, with your leader's stop loss and take profit, when they set them. You see it on [your dashboard](https://waketrades.com/docs/dashboard/your-dashboard.md) and get a message from [the Telegram bot](https://waketrades.com/docs/dashboard/telegram-bot.md). When your leader trims or closes, your copy follows.