Go from zero to running ElementClaw in 7 steps. Paper trade first, then go live when you see the edge.
SETUP // 7 STEPS TO DEPLOYMENT
Step 01
Create a Polygon Wallet
Install MetaMask or Rabby browser extension. Create a new wallet or import an existing one.
Switch to Polygon network: In MetaMask, click the network dropdown and select "Polygon Mainnet". If it is not listed, add it manually:
Network Name
Polygon Mainnet
RPC URL
https://polygon-rpc.com
Chain ID
137
Currency
MATIC
Save your private key securely. You will need it for the .env file. Never share it or commit it to git.
Export your private key: MetaMask → Account Details → Export Private Key. Copy it somewhere safe.
Step 02
Fund with USDC
You need USDC on Polygon (not Ethereum mainnet). Two options:
Option A: Bridge from Ethereum
Go to bridge.polygon.technology, connect your wallet, and bridge USDC from Ethereum to Polygon.
Option B: Buy on an exchange
Buy USDC on Coinbase, Binance, or Kraken. Withdraw directly to your Polygon wallet address (make sure to select the Polygon network when withdrawing).
You will also need a small amount of MATIC (the Polygon gas token) for transaction fees. A few cents worth is enough for hundreds of trades.
Minimum recommended bankroll: $50 USDC. Start small, verify the edge, then scale up.
Step 03
Get a VPS
ElementClaw runs 24/7 on a cheap VPS. A $6/month DigitalOcean droplet in NYC is ideal (low latency to Polymarket).
1. Sign up at digitalocean.com 2. Create a Droplet: Ubuntu 22.04, Basic, $6/mo, NYC datacenter 3. SSH into your droplet and install Bun:
curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash
4. Verify installation:
bun --version
Step 04
Install ElementClaw
Clone the repo and install dependencies:
git clone https://github.com/traderfoxexe/ElementClaw.git
cd ElementClaw
bun install
This installs all dependencies including the Polymarket CLOB client and SQLite bindings.
Your Polygon wallet private key (required for live mode)
MODE
"paper" or "live" (start with paper)
BANKROLL_USDC
Starting capital in USDC (default: 50)
MIN_EDGE_PCT
Minimum edge to trade (default: 8%)
KELLY_FRACTION
Kelly sizing fraction (default: 0.25)
MAX_OPEN_POSITIONS
Max concurrent trades (default: 10)
Never commit .env to git. It is already in .gitignore.
Step 06
Paper Trade First
Run the bot in paper mode to verify the edge with zero risk:
bun run paper
This runs a continuous loop that:
1. Fetches GFS + ECMWF ensemble forecasts for 6 cities 2. Discovers active Polymarket weather brackets 3. Calculates model probability vs. market price 4. Logs trades it would place (no real money) 5. Tracks P&L as if the trades were real
Open the dashboard at http://localhost:3456 to see positions, signals, and equity curve in real-time.
Run paper mode for at least a few days before going live to build confidence.
Step 07
Go Live
When you are confident in the edge, switch to live mode:
# In your .env file, change:
MODE=live
For production, set up cron jobs instead of the continuous loop:
# Edit crontab
crontab -e
# Add these lines:
# Scan every 30 minutes
0,30 * * * * cd /root/ElementClaw && bun run scan >> /var/log/elementclaw-scan.log 2>&1
# Settle hourly
15 * * * * cd /root/ElementClaw && bun run settle >> /var/log/elementclaw-settle.log 2>&1
What this does:
Scan (every 30 min): Fetches forecasts, discovers markets, finds edge, executes trades Settle (hourly): Checks actual temperatures from Iowa State Mesonet, resolves positions, updates P&L
Monitor via the web dashboard at http://your-vps-ip:3456
Start with a small bankroll ($50). Scale up only after seeing consistent positive P&L over multiple days.