> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://kix-2.gitbook.io/kix/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://kix-2.gitbook.io/kix/dats-digital-athlete-tokens/dats.md). # What is a DAT? A DAT — short for Digital Athlete Token — is a footballer card that you actually own on KiX. That one word — *own* — is what makes DATs different. In traditional fantasy football, you pick players for your team, but you don't own anything. Your squad resets, your choices disappear, and nothing carries real value between seasons. On KiX, when you hold a DAT, that card is yours. It can have a live market price. You can buy it, sell it, or swap it. It can earn you rewards based on how your footballer performs on the pitch. And it lives in your KiX account for as long as you choose to keep it. ## Every Footballer Has Their Own DAT Every footballer listed on KiX has a unique DAT — their own individual card on the platform. When a forward scores a hat-trick and demand for his card spikes, his DAT price goes up as traders buy him. When a player is out injured and interest fades, his price comes down as traders sell. The price of each DAT is driven entirely by community demand — only trading activity changes price, nothing else. KiX uses an automated pricing system with no middleman and no manual price-setting. When more people are buying a player's DAT, the price rises. When people are selling, the price falls. Every trade settles instantly. > Goalkeepers are not included in the DAT system — see [The Bonding Curve — Technical](/kix/dats-digital-athlete-tokens/dats/bonding-curve-technical.md) for detail. ## Scarcity is Built In, But Not the Objective There is a hard limit on the number of DATs available per footballer — that cap never changes. As a player's career takes off and demand grows, the available supply stays fixed. Scarcity is part of what gives DATs their value, but it is not the point of the platform — playing and earning through your footballing knowledge is. How much of a footballer's supply is currently in the market is shown publicly on every player's page. ## Your DATs Are Always Yours Your Standard DATs sit in your KiX account. There is no lock-up period, no waiting list, no platform permission required to sell. You can: * Buy a DAT when you believe in a player * Sell a DAT whenever you like * Swap a DAT for a different player in a single action DAT prices are set entirely by traders — KiX never controls them. Prices can rise or fall based on demand. You can always sell your DAT, but the price you receive carries market risk and depends on conditions at the time. You are never trapped in a position, and you are never waiting for a buyer. ## DATs Are the Foundation of KiX Everything on KiX flows through your DATs. They are not decoration — they are the engine. * Earn rewards based on your players' real-world match performance * Compete in Games by submitting your selection before match day cut-offs * Build your ideal squad by trading in and out of players across leagues and positions Without DATs, you are watching from the sideline. With them, you are part of the game. ## Two Types of DATs KiX has two types of DAT: **Free DATs** and **Standard DATs**. ### Free DATs Free DATs are KiX's free-to-play model. When you join KiX, you can pick footballers to hold as Free DATs completely free of charge. Free DATs let you enter the skill-based games in the Games Hub without spending anything. Key rules for Free DATs: * **Maximum of 1 Free DAT per footballer, per user.** You cannot hold more than one Free DAT of the same player. * **Free DATs cannot be sold.** They have no market price and no market value. * **Free DATs can be swapped** — you can exchange a Free DAT for a different footballer's Free DAT at any time, free of charge. * Free DATs limit your rewards potential compared to Standard DAT holders (see the worked example below). There's no catch. The only thing required of you is to have fun. ### Standard DATs Standard DATs are what everyone trades on the open market. These are the cards that you own outright and that carry a real market value. Traders buy, sell, and swap Standard DATs every day on KiX. The more Standard DATs you own of a footballer, the higher your proportion of weighted reward payouts — and the more you stand to gain if that footballer's price rises. ### Worked Example — Why the Difference Matters Both Free DATs and Standard DATs are eligible to enter Games Hub competitions like Top 3 and Teams. But the **quantity** you hold determines your share of the reward pool. Here's a simple example of two users who both pick the same footballer and get the same result: | User | DAT Type | Quantity | Outcome | Reward Share | | ------ | ------------ | -------- | ------------------ | ------------------ | | User A | Standard DAT | 500 | Same podium finish | 500/501 of the pot | | User B | Free DAT | 1 | Same podium finish | 1/501 of the pot | Both users made the same correct call. But because Standard DAT rewards are weighted by quantity, User A — holding 500 Standard DATs — takes home the vast majority of the reward, while User B — holding a single Free DAT — receives a much smaller share. This is the core trade-off: Free DATs let you play for nothing, but Standard DATs are what let you meaningfully grow your rewards. ## Holding Limits Limits are in place to keep markets fair, preventing any one account from cornering supply on a popular player. The specific limit will be confirmed after launch. ## DAT Colour Coding — Know Your Position at a Glance Every DAT card has a position colour code built into its design: * **Red card** — Forward * **Green card** — Midfielder * **Blue card** — Defender You will see these colours throughout the platform — on the Market, in your Portfolio, on Fixtures pages — so you can scan your squad at a glance. *** *Next:* [*Buying & Selling DATs*](/kix/dats-digital-athlete-tokens/dats/buying-and-selling.md)