Getting started

Updated 2026-09-29

1.1 Open the bot and pick a language

1. Open https://t.me/Houndsbot and tap Start.
2. The language is set from your Telegram language (Chinese → 简体中文, anything else → English). Switch any time with 🌐 中文 / 🌐 English or /language.

1.2 Create or import a wallet (required)

Every feature — token lookup, trading, signals, copy trading, auto-trading — needs a custodial wallet first. Until you have one, the bot only shows "🔐 Create or import a wallet first" with these buttons:

• Tip: create both a SOL and an EVM wallet. Cross-chain transfers between SOL and the EVM chains need both, and a chain without a wallet can't be traded for real (see FAQ "Paper position").
• When you import, send the key as your next message within 5 minutes. The bot deletes your message immediately and stores the key only in encrypted form inside an isolated signing service; the bot process never sees it in plain text.
• Up to 5 wallets per family (SOL / EVM). A wallet already used by another account can't be imported.
• After creating or importing a wallet, the reply carries the menu buttons (or send /start for the home screen). If you opened the bot from a shared token link, that token card opens automatically.

1.3 Back up your key (strongly recommended)

A custodial wallet is only as safe as your backup. Export the key once and store it offline.

1. Set a trade PIN first: ⚙ Trade settings → 🔐 Trade PIN: not set → Set trade PIN → send 6 digits (not simple patterns like 123456, 111111, 123123), then send them again to confirm. The PIN message is deleted immediately.
2. 💼 Wallet → 📤 Export key · SOL 1 (or · EVM 1 for the EVM wallet) → read the warning → I understand, continue → send your PIN.
3. The first time, the bot only registers the request: "Export request registered: tap [Export key] again after 10 minutes (within 30)".
4. Between 10 and 30 minutes later, repeat step 2. The key appears as hidden (spoiler) text for 30 seconds and is then deleted. Tap ✅ Saved, delete now when you're done. You also receive a security notice every time a key is exported.

Never screenshot or forward your key. Anyone who asks you for it is a scammer.

1.4 Deposit

Open 💼 Wallet (or /wallet, /balance) to see your addresses and balances. Tap an address to copy it.

• The same EVM address works on BSC, Arc, Robinhood Chain and Base. Always send on the network you intend to trade on.
• Keep a little extra of the chain's coin for network fees. When checking your balance before a buy, the bot adds a small reserve (about 0.003 SOL, 0.0005 BNB, 0.05 USDC on ARC, 0.0003 ETH on RBH) on top of the amount and the 1% fee.
• No convenient way to get coins onto Arc / Robinhood Chain / Base? Deposit SOL or BNB and use 🌉 Cross-chain transfer (section 9).
• Balances refresh with 🔄 Refresh balances. If you have a paid plan, its features unlock about 1 minute after your first deposit arrives.

1.5 The home screen

/start (also /home, /menu) shows your plan, your in-use SOL wallet and EVM wallet (the EVM one lists its Arc / RBH / Base balances underneath), open positions (count, value, PnL), whether signal push is on, and the main menu: