> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://surf-2.gitbook.io/surfliquid-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://surf-2.gitbook.io/surfliquid-docs/offerings-and-use-cases/retail.md).

# Retail

#### Distribution Model

Surf is designed as embedded infrastructure.

Rather than requiring users to discover and navigate DeFi protocols directly, Surf integrates into existing financial platforms such as wallets, exchanges, fintech applications, and treasury systems.

At the same time, Surf is available directly to individual users who want a simple, non-custodial way to grow their assets through AI-managed vaults.

***

#### Retail Savings

Surf is designed for individual users who want their assets to grow without needing to become traders, yield farmers, or DeFi operators.

At its core, **Surf offers an AI-run on-chain savings account.**

Users deposit assets into their own non-custodial smart vaults. From there, Surf’s execution layer and Guardian rules manage how capital is deployed, rebalanced, and protected. The user keeps full ownership and can withdraw at any time, while the system handles optimisation and risk controls in the background.

***

#### **AI-run savings vaults**

Each user receives a dedicated non-custodial smart vault governed by deterministic rules. The AI agent proposes actions, but every move is enforced by the Guardian Layer, including:

* Protocol allowlists
* Exposure and allocation limits
* Slippage and liquidity bounds
* Health, solvency, and stress thresholds
* Circuit breakers and emergency exits

This ensures that optimisation only happens inside predefined safety constraints. The result is automation that behaves like a conservative portfolio manager, not a speculative trading bot.

***

#### ETH, BTC, and Stablecoins

Retail users can deploy capital across:

* Stablecoin savings vaults for consistent, risk-adjusted yield
* ETH vaults for compounding native yield without manual DeFi operations
* BTC vaults for earning yield on tokenised Bitcoin while retaining self-custody.

All assets are routed through the same control stack: user-owned vaults, Guardian enforcement, simulation before execution, and continuous risk monitoring.

The experience is intentionally simple:

> Deposit → Earn → Withdraw\
> No liquidity management, no manual rebalancing, no protocol hopping.

***

#### Real-World Assets (RWA) in the future

Surf’s architecture is built to extend beyond crypto-native assets.

The same vault, control, and execution framework will support tokenised real-world assets, starting with tokenised metals such as gold.. These assets will be treated as programmable savings instruments rather than speculative tokens, with the same guarantees of:

* Non-custodial ownership
* Deterministic risk controls
* AI-driven optimisation inside hard safety bounds
* Withdraw-anytime liquidity

For retail users, this evolves Surf from a crypto yield platform into a universal on-chain savings system, where stablecoins, ETH, BTC, and real-world assets can all be managed under one intelligent, rule-enforced, self-custodial account.