The Dollar Ladder is a leaderboard you pay to be on. The #1 spot — the crown — has exactly one price: whatever the last person paid, plus one dollar. Pay it and the crown is yours until someone pays a dollar more than you did.
Everyone pays full price, ex-kings included. Your money buys your reign: time at #1, the clicks that come with it, and a permanent spot on the board at the highest amount you ever paid. You rent the throne — you don't buy equity. The current king can't bid, so nobody can pad a lead.
Claims are sudden death: the first payment to land at the current price wins the crown. If someone beats you to it, your payment is refunded automatically and the price has moved up a dollar. Every Monday at 00:00 UTC the crown resets to $1 and the finished board is archived to the Hall of Fame.