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

# Why Nile Markets?

> A $7.5 trillion daily FX market with no onchain hedging tools - Nile Markets brings non-deliverable forwards to Ethereum with permissionless settlement.

## The Problem

USD-centric onchain markets don't reflect users' real economic exposure. Most companies, protocols, and teams operate with costs in EUR, INR, BRL, KRW, and other local currencies while holding USD treasury. Crypto startups funded in USD but operating globally face persistent FX mismatch - and today there are no professional tools to manage it.

<Columns>
  <Card title="USD Dominance" icon="dollar-sign">
    While USD dominates onchain finance, most users aren't economically USD-native.
    Revenues, costs, and liabilities sit in local currencies.
  </Card>

  <Card title="No Hedging Tools" icon="shield-halved">
    Crypto startups face growing FX risk with no professional hedging tools. As the
    industry matures, systematic FX hedging becomes a necessity.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Inefficient Alternatives" icon="rotate">
    Current onchain FX is limited to shallow spot markets or perpetual futures with
    expensive and volatile annualized funding costs - neither works for hedging longer duration.
  </Card>
</Columns>

## The Market Opportunity

* Non-USD stablecoins represent \~0.2% of total stablecoin supply, reinforcing the gap
* FX forwards are the largest derivative market in the world - over \$1 trillion in daily volume
* Despite this, there is no efficient onchain venue for FX hedging or long-term positioning

## Why Forwards, Not Perpetuals?

<Columns>
  <Card title="FX Forwards" icon="calendar-check">
    Fixed maturity means predictable settlement dates. No ongoing funding payments.
    One-time trading fee (0.05%). Ideal for hedging payroll, invoices, and treasury
    on specific dates.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Perpetual Futures" icon="infinity">
    Rolling contracts with no expiry. Continuous funding rate payments averaging 5+%
    annualized. Better for open-ended directional speculation, worse for date-specific
    hedging.
  </Card>
</Columns>

<Tip>
  For a detailed comparison, see [Forwards vs Perpetuals](/nile-markets/forwards-vs-perpetuals).
</Tip>

## The Nile Markets Solution

Nile Markets brings institutional-grade FX forward infrastructure onchain:

* **FX non-deliverable forwards (NDFs)** with fixed maturities (up to a year)
* **Oracle-based pricing** using Pyth Network for spot and interest rate parity for forward curves
* **Central counterparty pool model** - a USDC liquidity pool serves as counterparty to all trades, eliminating the need for order matching
* **Isolated margin** with up to 50x leverage - each position's risk is contained to its own collateral
* **Permissionless settlement** - anyone can settle matured positions or liquidate underwater ones

## Who Benefits?

<Columns>
  <Card title="Crypto Companies" icon="building">
    European SaaS companies with USD revenue and EUR expenses can lock in exchange
    rates for payroll and invoices.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Traders" icon="chart-line">
    Speculate on FX rate moves across any supported currency pair with transparent pricing, fixed settlement dates,
    and up to 50x leverage.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Liquidity Providers" icon="piggy-bank">
    Earn trading fees (0.05% per trade) and liquidation penalties by depositing USDC
    into the vault.
  </Card>

  <Card title="DeFi Structured Products" icon="layer-group">
    Build currency-hedged DeFi vaults and structured products without depending on
    non-USD stablecoin adoption. Offer EUR-denominated yield strategies that hedge
    underlying FX exposure directly onchain.
  </Card>

  <Card title="DeFi Borrowers & Lenders" icon="arrows-left-right">
    Hedge FX risk on cross-currency borrow and lend positions in DeFi protocols.
    Lock in a forward rate to neutralize currency mismatch between your collateral
    and your debt - without leaving the onchain stack.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Neobanks & Fintech Platforms" icon="plug">
    Add FX as a white-labeled service via a fully API-ready integration. No FX
    infrastructure to build or maintain - connect once and offer your users
    onchain forward rates across all supported currency pairs.
  </Card>
</Columns>

## Beyond FX

The forward infrastructure is designed for multi-currency expansion. G7 will be the first pairs because it has the deepest oracle support and the largest markets. Future pairs use the same contracts - no upgrades required.

The same forward architecture can extend beyond FX to crypto assets, staking products, credit instruments, and any market requiring fixed future exchange obligations.

<Columns>
  <Card title="How It Works" icon="diagram-project" href="/nile-markets/how-it-works">
    Understand the core trading loop
  </Card>

  <Card title="Quick Start" icon="rocket" href="/build/quick-start">
    Open your first position on Sepolia
  </Card>
</Columns>