Trustlines
What a Stellar trustline is, why PT and YT need one, and how Spield's one-click "Enable trustline" button sets them up for you automatically.
Before your Stellar wallet can hold a particular asset, it needs a trustline to that asset. This is a normal, one-time part of using any Stellar token — and for Spield's tokens, the app handles it for you with a single click. Here's exactly what it means and how it works.
What is a trustline?
On Stellar, an account doesn't automatically hold every asset in existence. Instead, it explicitly opts in to the assets it's willing to hold by creating a trustline to each one. Think of it as ticking a box that says "yes, I'm willing to receive and hold this token."
- Without a trustline to an asset, your wallet cannot receive that asset — a transfer would simply fail.
- With a trustline, the asset shows up in your wallet and you can hold, send, and use it normally.
Why Stellar works this way
Requiring an explicit opt-in keeps wallets tidy and protects you from being spammed with unwanted tokens. It's a deliberate Stellar design choice, not a Spield-specific step.
Which Spield assets need a trustline?
Spield's two tokens are real Stellar assets, so your account needs a trustline to each before it can receive them:
| Asset | Code | When you need it |
|---|---|---|
| Principal Token | SPLDPT | Before you can be minted or receive PT. |
| Yield Token | SPLDYT | Before you can be minted or receive YT. |
USDC also uses a trustline, but you'll typically already have it from when you first received USDC (from an exchange or the bridge).
You don't set these up manually — the app does
You don't need to add the PT/YT trustlines by hand. The first time you do something that
requires them — your first deposit or mint — the Spield app shows an "Enable
trustline" button. Clicking it sets up the SPLDPT and SPLDYT trustlines for your wallet in
one approval.
Start your first deposit
On the Deposit or Fixed Vault page, enter an amount. If your wallet doesn't yet have the PT/YT trustlines, the app detects this automatically.
Click "Enable trustline"
The app shows an Enable trustline button. Click it — this is the one-time opt-in for the
SPLDPT and SPLDYT assets.
Approve in your wallet
Your wallet pops up to approve adding the trustlines. Approve it. This is a standard Stellar operation, not a transfer of funds.
Continue depositing
With trustlines in place, your deposit proceeds and the PT/YT tokens land in your wallet. You won't be asked again — trustlines are a one-time setup per asset.
It only happens once
After the first time, your wallet keeps the PT/YT trustlines, so every future deposit skips this step entirely. If you ever connect a brand-new wallet, you'll do the one-click setup once more for that wallet.
What does a trustline cost?
A trustline reserves a tiny amount of XLM (Stellar's native asset) — a small, refundable amount that's locked while the trustline exists and returned if you ever remove it. This is why you keep a little XLM in your wallet (see funding your wallet). It is not a fee paid to Spield; it's a standard Stellar account reserve.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "Enable trustline" keeps appearing | The trustline transaction wasn't approved/confirmed | Re-click and approve in your wallet; ensure you have a little XLM for the reserve. |
| Deposit fails before you can deposit | Missing PT/YT trustline | Use the Enable trustline button first. |
| Not enough XLM | No XLM for the reserve/fee | Add a small amount of XLM (see funding). |
Once your trustlines are set, you're ready for your first deposit.