# Deposits, Minting & Redemption

**Q: How do I mint IXAUT?**\
A: Connect your wallet to the Imperium app, deposit eligible XAUT, and the protocol will mint IXAUT to your address at a 1:1 ratio. No-off chain KYC is required for the basic minting flow unless a specific vault or institutional product requires it.

**Q: Are there fees to mint or redeem?**\
A: Core minting and redemption flows are designed to be fee-light or fee-free. Some specialized vaults may charge management/performance fees—these are displayed on each vault’s page and in the vault UI before you deposit.

**Q: Can I redeem IXAUT from inside a vault?**\
A: You must first withdraw your IXAUT from the vault (i.e., unwind vault shares to IXAUT). After withdrawal, standard redemption to XAUT is available. Some vaults allow instant in-vault exits — check each vault’s page for details.

**Q: How long does redemption take?**\
A: On-chain redemptions are immediate from the smart contract perspective; transaction finality depends on network congestion and gas. No off-chain approvals are required for standard redemptions.

**Q: What happens if the underlying XAUT loses peg or becomes illiquid?**\
A: Imperium’s designs assume XAUT is a tokenized, liquid gold asset. If the external XAUT loses peg or liquidity, that introduces systemic risk outside Imperium’s control.&#x20;
