# FAQ
Answers to the most common questions about Shotgun.
***
## Account & Login
What login methods does Shotgun support?
Shotgun supports two ways to sign in:
1. **Existing wallet** (Phantom) - connect your wallet directly
2. **Google** - sign in with your Google account
What is Turnkey and why does Shotgun use it?
Turnkey is a wallet infrastructure provider that handles authentication and key management. When you sign in with Google, Turnkey creates an embedded wallet for you - your private keys are encrypted with your password and Turnkey cannot access them. When you connect an existing wallet, your keys never leave your wallet.
I lost my password. Can Shotgun recover it?
No. Shotgun cannot recover your password. Your password encrypts your private keys - without it, the keys cannot be decrypted. This is by design to ensure your funds are fully in your control.
**If you still have your private keys, you can restore your wallet** in any compatible wallet app (Phantom, Solflare, etc.) and recover access to your funds.
Where do I find my Private Key?
Go to **Wallet Management** - **Export Private Key** - Copy Private Key. Store it safely offline - never digitally.
***
## Fees
What fees does Shotgun charge?
Shotgun charges a flat **1% platform fee** on every trade. This fee applies uniformly across all order types - Market, Limit, Instant Trade, and Convert.
Every trader on Shotgun earns cashback on that 1% fee - starting at 50% and scaling up to 100% based on your lifetime trading volume.
In addition, every Solana transaction requires a **network fee** (Priority Fee + optional Bribe) paid directly to Solana validators. You set these amounts yourself in the transaction settings.
Do I get cashback on fees?
Yes. Shotgun offers up to **100% SOL cashback** on platform fees, starting at a base rate of **50%**. Cashback is earned on every trade and paid out in SOL.
Do I get a discount on fees if I use a referral link?
Yes. Users who sign up through a **referral link** receive a permanent **10% discount** on Shotgun's platform fee. The discount is applied automatically - no code needed.
What is the difference between Priority Fee, Bribe, and Slippage?
* **Priority Fee** - extra payment to Solana validators to process your transaction faster, especially during congestion
* **Bribe** - additional tip paid to block builders (Jito) to prioritise your transaction; also helps with MEV protection
* **Slippage** - the maximum % price change you'll accept between submitting and executing a trade; not a fee, but affects your effective execution price
***
## Trading
Why did my transaction fail?
Common reasons for failed transactions:
1. **Slippage too low** - the price moved more than your slippage tolerance before confirmation; increase slippage and retry
2. **Insufficient SOL for fees** - you need SOL to cover network fees, even when selling tokens
3. **Priority fee too low** - during high congestion, increase your priority fee to improve success rate
4. **Token has sell restrictions** - some tokens have a freeze authority or high sell tax that prevents selling
What is slippage and how do I set it?
Slippage is the difference between the price you expect when you submit a trade and the price at which it actually executes. If the price moves more than your slippage tolerance during confirmation, the transaction is cancelled.
* **Too low** - frequent failed transactions
* **Too high** - you accept a worse price than expected
For most Solana tokens, **1-3% slippage** is a good starting point. For new launches or low-liquidity tokens, you may need **5-20%**.
What is MEV and should I enable MEV Protection?
**MEV (Maximal Extractable Value)** is a technique where bots detect your incoming transaction and place their own buy before yours, then sell immediately after - forcing you into an instant loss (called a "sandwich attack").
**MEV Protection** routes your transaction through protected channels to prevent bots from seeing it before it confirms.
* **Enable MEV Protection** when trading tokens with high activity or during volatile market conditions
* MEV Protection is most important for **buy** transactions
* It may slightly slow execution in exchange for better trade safety
How do limit orders work on Solana?
Limit orders on Solana are managed by Shotgun's order system. When your trigger price is reached, Shotgun submits a market order on your behalf. Execution is not 100% guaranteed during extreme volatility or network congestion - but Shotgun's infrastructure is optimised for reliability.
***
## Portfolio
Why is my portfolio balance different from my wallet balance?
Your Portfolio shows the **current market value** of your token holdings, updating in real time as prices move. Differences between portfolio value and wallet balance can occur because:
* Token prices fluctuate constantly
* Unrealized PnL is reflected in portfolio value but not SOL balance
* Dust positions may appear in your wallet but be filtered from the portfolio view
What is "Burn Token"?
**Burn Token** in the **Token Holdings** tab to instantly convert small token balances that are too small to sell into SOL. This keeps your wallet clean and clutter-free.
***
## Referral Program
How does the referral program work?
Shotgun has a **5-tier referral system** with earnings across **5 levels deep**. Your tier is determined by how many active referrals you have:
| Tier | Requirement | Total Rev Share |
| ------------- | --------------------- | --------------- |
| **Scout** | Base tier | 30% |
| **Operative** | 10+ active referrals | 35% |
| **Commander** | 25+ active referrals | 40% |
| **Warlord** | 50+ active referrals | 45% |
| **Overlord** | 100+ active referrals | 50% |
Your unique referral link is available in the **Refer** section of the platform. Users who sign up through your link receive a permanent **10% trading fee discount**.
What counts as an active referral?
A referral is counted as active once they have completed at least one trade on Shotgun.
Is there a cap on referral earnings?
No. Referral rewards are unlimited - the more volume your network generates, the more you earn. Note that once a referred user reaches 100% cashback and no longer pays platform fees, your referral earnings from that user will stop.
***
## Security
Is Shotgun custodial or non-custodial?
Non-custodial. Shotgun never holds your private keys. If you use Phantom, your keys stay in your wallet. If you use Google login, your keys are created and encrypted by Turnkey using your password - Shotgun and Turnkey cannot access them.
Someone asked for my seed phrase on Telegram or Discord. What do I do?
**Do not share it.** This is a scam. No legitimate Shotgun team member, support agent, or moderator will ever ask for your seed phrase, private key, or password. Report the account in the official Shotgun Discord immediately.
How do I report a phishing link or suspicious site?
Report it in the official Shotgun Discord with the URL. Always verify you are on `shotgun.fun` before connecting your wallet.
***
## Monetization
How can Shotgun offer 100% cashback?
Shotgun relies on Payment-For-Order-Flow (PFOF) mechanisms, mainly gas rebates and non-toxic backruns, to sustain high cashback offerings. As proven by TradFi giants like Robinhood, these systems provide enough fuel to grow and scale. All other terminals have access to these revenue streams, but choose to double dip on your flow and maximize extraction. We don't.
Fee Addresses
The following are the addresses to which the fees will be sent. Whenever you find a transfer made from your wallet to one of these addresses, this would a fee payment to Shotgun.fun.
| Chain | Address |
| ---------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| **Solana** | 2E2ArNAgAa3rAsvePbDw6hzVPtKeVNjVAW46U2zVXcqn |
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