> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/Rohit-KK15/MetaVault-AI/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Depositing Funds

> How to deposit LINK tokens into MetaVault AI

Depositing funds into MetaVault AI allows you to participate in AI-powered yield generation strategies. Your LINK tokens are managed by smart contracts and allocated across multiple DeFi protocols to maximize returns.

## Prerequisites

<Check>
  Your wallet must be connected. See [Connecting Your Wallet](/user-guide/connecting-wallet) first.
</Check>

<Check>
  You need LINK tokens in your wallet. You can mint test LINK tokens from the dashboard.
</Check>

<Check>
  You need Sepolia ETH for gas fees.
</Check>

## Getting Test LINK Tokens

Before depositing, you'll need LINK tokens. MetaVault AI provides a convenient way to mint test LINK tokens:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Navigate to Quick Actions">
    In the dashboard, locate the **Quick Actions** card below the stats grid.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click 'Mint Mock LINK'">
    Click the **"Mint Mock LINK"** button with the yellow background. This will mint 100 LINK tokens to your wallet.

    <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/rohit-kk15-metavault-ai/images/user-guide/mint-link-button.png" alt="Mint Mock LINK button appears with dollar sign icon and yellow background" />
  </Step>

  <Step title="Approve in Wallet">
    Your wallet will prompt you to approve the mint transaction. Review and confirm the transaction.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Wait for Confirmation">
    The button will show "Minting..." while the transaction processes. Once complete, you'll see a green success message.

    Your LINK balance will update automatically in the top navigation bar.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  You can also copy the LINK token address using the **"Copy LINK Address"** button to add the token to your wallet or get LINK from other sources.
</Tip>

## Depositing LINK Tokens

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Deposit Modal">
    In the dashboard, click the blue **"Deposit"** button in the Quick Actions section.

    <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/rohit-kk15-metavault-ai/images/user-guide/deposit-button.png" alt="Deposit button with blue gradient background in Quick Actions card" />

    The Deposit modal will open, displaying:

    * Amount input field
    * Your current LINK balance
    * Approve & Deposit / Deposit button
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Deposit Amount">
    Type the amount of LINK tokens you want to deposit in the input field.

    <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/rohit-kk15-metavault-ai/images/user-guide/deposit-modal-input.png" alt="Deposit modal shows amount input field with your LINK balance displayed below" />

    Your available balance is displayed below the input field for reference.

    <Warning>
      Make sure you don't exceed your available LINK balance. The interface will show an "Insufficient balance" error if you do.
    </Warning>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Approve Token Spending (First Time Only)">
    For your first deposit, the vault contract needs permission to spend your LINK tokens. Click **"Approve & Deposit"**.

    This triggers two transactions:

    1. **Approval transaction**: Grants the vault permission to spend LINK
    2. **Deposit transaction**: Automatically executes after approval

           <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/rohit-kk15-metavault-ai/images/user-guide/approve-deposit-button.png" alt="Button shows 'Approve & Deposit' for first-time deposits" />

    <Note>
      After the first approval, future deposits will only require one transaction and the button will show **"Deposit"** instead.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm in Wallet">
    Your wallet will prompt you to:

    1. First, approve the token spending limit
    2. Then, confirm the deposit transaction

    Review each transaction carefully and approve both.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Wait for Confirmation">
    The button will update to show:

    * **"Approving..."** during token approval
    * **"Depositing..."** during the deposit transaction

          <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/rohit-kk15-metavault-ai/images/user-guide/deposit-loading.png" alt="Loading state shows 'Depositing...' on the button" />

    Wait for both transactions to complete. This typically takes 10-30 seconds on Sepolia.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify Your Deposit">
    Once successful:

    * The modal closes automatically
    * Your dashboard stats update in real-time:
      * **Your Shares** increases by your deposited amount
      * **Your Assets** reflects your vault balance
      * **Total Managed** increases for the entire vault

            <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/rohit-kk15-metavault-ai/images/user-guide/deposit-success-stats.png" alt="Updated dashboard stats show increased shares and assets" />
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Understanding Your Shares

When you deposit LINK tokens:

* You receive **vault shares** representing your ownership percentage
* Shares are ERC-20 tokens that track your proportional claim to vault assets
* As the vault generates yield, your shares become worth more LINK
* The share-to-asset ratio changes as the vault earns returns

**Example:**

* You deposit 100 LINK
* You receive 100 shares
* Vault earns 10% return
* Your 100 shares are now worth 110 LINK

## Real-Time Updates

MetaVault AI uses real-time event listeners to update your dashboard instantly when:

* Your deposit is confirmed
* Other users deposit or withdraw
* The AI rebalances strategies
* Yield is harvested from protocols

You don't need to refresh the page - all stats update automatically.

## Dashboard Stats Explained

After depositing, monitor these key metrics:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Your Shares" icon="chart-pie">
    The number of vault shares you own. This represents your proportional ownership of the vault.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Your Assets" icon="wallet">
    The current LINK value of your shares. This amount includes your deposited funds plus earned yield.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Growth Percentage" icon="arrow-trend-up">
    Your personal return percentage since your first deposit. Shown in green for positive returns.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Total Managed" icon="chart-line">
    Total LINK deployed across all yield strategies. Your funds contribute to this pool.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Transaction failed - Insufficient balance">
    This means you're trying to deposit more LINK than you have. Check your LINK balance in:

    * The deposit modal (shows current balance)
    * The top navigation bar
    * Your wallet

    Reduce your deposit amount or mint more test LINK.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Approval transaction succeeded but deposit didn't start">
    The deposit should trigger automatically after approval. If it doesn't:

    1. Close and reopen the deposit modal
    2. Try depositing again (you won't need to approve again)
    3. Check your wallet for any pending transaction prompts
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Transaction is taking a long time">
    Sepolia testnet can have variable block times:

    * Wait up to 2-3 minutes for confirmation
    * Check the transaction status in your wallet
    * Look up the transaction hash on [Sepolia Etherscan](https://sepolia.etherscan.io/)

    Don't submit the transaction again or you may deposit twice.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Stats aren't updating after deposit">
    The dashboard uses real-time event listeners, but if stats don't update:

    1. Wait 10-15 seconds for block confirmation
    2. Check that the transaction completed successfully
    3. Refresh the page if needed

    The automatic refresh interval is 3 seconds for most stats.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I rejected the transaction by mistake">
    No problem! Simply:

    1. Click the Deposit button again
    2. Enter the same or different amount
    3. Approve the transaction this time

    No funds were transferred if you rejected the transaction.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## What's Next?

After depositing:

* [Track your performance](/user-guide/tracking-performance) on the dashboard
* [Withdraw funds](/user-guide/withdrawing-funds) when you want to exit
* [Chat with the AI agent](/user-guide/chat-agent) to check your balance or make deposits via chat