# Accounts & balances

Funding vs trading balances, holds, subaccounts, policies, and transfer history.

## Funding vs trading

Ledger balances have separate **funding** and **trading** buckets per asset.

- An external deposit can stop in **funding** or continue to **trading**, depending on its route
- Spot orders spend **trading**
- Move funding → trading on-chain (or via the Polyester UI), not through a ConnectRPC balance call

Balance component fields are **scaled integer decimal strings** (ledger u128). Format with `format_ledger_u128` for display.

```python
from polyester import format_ledger_u128

balances = await client.balances.list()
for b in balances.balances:
    print(
        b.asset_id,
        format_ledger_u128(b.funding),
        format_ledger_u128(b.trading),
        format_ledger_u128(b.available),
    )
```

Optional scope: `account={"subaccount_id": "..."}` or `sub_account_id=...`.

Also on `client.balances`: `get_balance_history`, `get_equity_history`, `list_holds`, and `subscribe` for live updates. See [Balances](https://testnet.polyester.com/docs/sdk/python/reference/balances).

## Account scope

Pass `"main"`, `"active"`, or `{"subaccount_id": "..."}` on scoped services, or set `default_sub_account_id` / `default_account_id` on the client. Private streams need Account ID.

## Subaccounts & policies

The Python SDK exposes subaccount **reads** (including members, invites, and activity) plus private subaccount streams. `client.policies` is subscribe-only. Create/update/delete and membership or policy administration require the Polyester app/TypeScript session client.

A subaccount-scoped API key also needs its own attached API-key policy. Permit ledger reads for balance reads/streams and add the required trading actions for mutations. The API-key policy and subaccount policy are distinct and both constrain the request.

## Profile & API keys

`client.auth` and `client.api_keys` cover identity and key metadata. Unary key-metadata reads work with an API key; the private administration stream requires its API-key administration permission. **Creating** keys is JWT/session-only.

## Transfer history

`client.transfers` lists transfer history. Money movement mutations: [Deposits & withdrawals](https://testnet.polyester.com/docs/sdk/python/guides/deposits-and-withdrawals).

> **Private realtime**
>
> Balance and trade streams need API-key auth plus Account ID. See [Streaming](https://testnet.polyester.com/docs/sdk/python/guides/streaming).