> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.arenas.fi/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.arenas.fi/atomica/roles-and-permissions.md).

# Roles & Permissions

Atomica markets are **permissioned by role**. Each action in a market is gated to a specific party, and no single role can move funds on its own. This page maps every role to what it can and cannot do.

***

### The four roles

| Role                        | Responsible for                | Key actions                                                   |
| --------------------------- | ------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Borrower**                | Requesting and repaying credit | Create / modify / close a request, draw down (receive), repay |
| **Approver**                | Credit decisions               | Approve (full or partial) or decline a request                |
| **Liquidity Provider (LP)** | Funding the market             | Deposit into a pool, request and execute withdrawals          |
| **Curator**                 | Liquidity relationships        | Arrange pools and terms that supply a market                  |

> A **Market Operator** configures the market within protocol limits and, when there is no separate Approver, also performs the review. The Operator earns a share of interest as a **market fee**.

***

### What each role can do

#### Borrower

* Must hold the market’s **access token (NFT)** — this, not collateral, is the eligibility check. The NFT is never transferred by these actions; only ownership is checked.
* Can **create** a request (`REQUESTED`), **modify** it while still `REQUESTED`, or **close** it while `REQUESTED` or `APPROVED`.
* Can **draw down** an approved request during its receive window. Funds can be sent to a **recipient address that differs** from the borrower’s wallet.
* Cannot self-approve. Cannot draw down more than the approved amount.

#### Approver

* Reviews pending requests and either **approves** — optionally for a **partial** amount — or **declines**.
* Approval **authorises an amount and opens a timed receive window**; it does **not** transfer funds.
* Is a distinct address from the borrower; a borrower can never approve their own request.

#### Liquidity Provider (LP)

* **Deposits** the asset token into a pool and receives **pool shares** that accrue value as borrowers repay.
* **Withdraws** via a two-step, delayed flow (request → wait → execute). See [Withdraw](/atomica/financing-markets/withdraw.md).
* Bears the market’s credit risk: LP share value can fall if borrowers default.

#### Curator

* Arranges the **pools and liquidity terms** that fund a market, and the intents that make capital available to borrowers.
* Works with the Market Operator on pool configuration and incentives.

***

### Separation of powers

The security of an Atomica market comes from splitting authority across roles:

```mermaid
flowchart LR
    B[Borrower] -->|requests| M[(Financing Market)]
    A[Approver] -->|authorises amount| M
    B -->|draws down within window| M
    L[LP / Pool] -->|supplies liquidity via intents| M
    M -->|disburses to recipient| R[Recipient]
```

* The **borrower** asks, but cannot authorise.
* The **approver** authorises, but does not move or hold funds.
* The **LP / pool** funds, but does not decide who borrows.
* The **market contract** enforces that all three line up before a single token is disbursed.

***

### Permission notes

* **Access-token gating:** only the access-token owner (or an address on the request’s trigger list) may request or receive.
* **Partial approvals:** the approved amount always stays within the borrower’s requested `[minAmount, amount]` band.
* **Receive window:** the window is snapshotted at approval time and stays fixed even if market configuration changes afterward.

See [Financing Request Lifecycle](/atomica/financing-request-lifecycle.md) for how these permissions play out step by step.