Register a Validator

This is a detailed step-by-step guide for setting up a Sei validator. It assumes that you already meet the system requirements to run a sei node and have gone through the instructions in Run a Sei Node

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Make sure you back up ~/.sei/config/priv_validator.json

It's the only way to recover your validator if it's ever lost.

Validator Setup Script

Assuming you're running in a Linux environment with default settings, you can run this script, if not you may follow the manual configuration steps below

python3 scripts/setup/setup.py setup-validator --chain-id $CHAIN_ID --moniker $MONIKER --version $SEID_VERSION

Setup Validator

Create a wallet associated with your validator (this is where any rewards will be distributed to also)

export ACCOUNT_NAME=<name of key> 
seid keys add $ACCOUNT_NAME

Make sure you save the output of this file, its the only way to recover your wallet if you ever lose it

You need an initial balance to create the account on the chain, the previous command just creates the wallet locally. You may get funds from the faucet if you're trying to join the testnet/devnet, for mainnet you would have to acquire the funds first.

seid query bank balances $ACCOUNT_ADDRESS

Use the query above to check your balance. This process will require a non-zero balance.

You ened to set the mode of the node to validator

sed -i -e 's/mode = "full"/mode = "validator"/' $HOME/.sei/config/config.toml`

Create the validator - these are just the default flags, feel free to adjust as needed

MONIKER=$(cat ~/.sei/config/config.toml | grep "moniker" | awk -F ' = ' '{print $2}' | tr -d '"')
PUBKEY=$(seid tendermint show-validator)
 
seid tx staking create-validator \
    --amount=1000000usei \
    --pubkey=$PUBKEY \
    --moniker=$MONIKER \
    --chain-id=$CHAIN_ID \
    --from=$ACCOUNT_NAME \
    --commission-rate="0.10" \
    --commission-max-rate="0.20" \
    --commission-max-change-rate="0.01" \
    --min-self-delegation="1" \
    --fees="2000usei"

> seid tx staking create-validator  --help

create new validator initialized with a self-delegation to it
 
Usage:
  seid tx staking create-validator [flags]
 
Flags:
  -a, --account-number uint                 The account number of the signing account (offline mode only)
      --amount string                       Amount of coins to bond
  -b, --broadcast-mode string               Transaction broadcasting mode (sync|async|block) (default "sync")
      --commission-max-change-rate string   The maximum commission change rate percentage (per day)
      --commission-max-rate string          The maximum commission rate percentage
      --commission-rate string              The initial commission rate percentage
      --details string                      The validator's (optional) details
      --dry-run                             ignore the --gas flag and perform a simulation of a transaction, but don't broadcast it
      --fee-account string                  Fee account pays fees for the transaction instead of deducting from the signer
      --fees string                         Fees to pay along with transaction; eg: 10uatom
      --from string                         Name or address of private key with which to sign
      --gas string                          gas limit to set per-transaction; set to "auto" to calculate sufficient gas automatically (default 200000)
      --gas-adjustment float                adjustment factor to be multiplied against the estimate returned by the tx simulation; if the gas limit is set manually this flag is ignored  (default 1)
      --gas-prices string                   Gas prices in decimal format to determine the transaction fee (e.g. 0.1uatom)
      --generate-only                       Build an unsigned transaction and write it to STDOUT (when enabled, the local Keybase is not accessible)
  -h, --help                                help for create-validator
      --identity string                     The optional identity signature (ex. UPort or Keybase)
      --ip string                           The node's public IP. It takes effect only when used in combination with --generate-only
      --keyring-backend string              Select keyring's backend (os|file|kwallet|pass|test|memory) (default "os")
      --keyring-dir string                  The client Keyring directory; if omitted, the default 'home' directory will be used
      --ledger                              Use a connected Ledger device
      --min-self-delegation string          The minimum self delegation required on the validator
      --moniker string                      The validator's name
      --node string                         <host>:<port> to tendermint rpc interface for this chain (default "tcp://localhost:26657")
      --node-id string                      The node's ID
      --note string                         Note to add a description to the transaction (previously --memo)
      --offline                             Offline mode (does not allow any online functionality
  -o, --output string                       Output format (text|json) (default "json")
      --p2p-port string                     The node's public port. It takes effect only when used in combination with --generate-only
      --pubkey string                       The validator's Protobuf JSON encoded public key
      --security-contact string             The validator's (optional) security contact email
  -s, --sequence uint                       The sequence number of the signing account (offline mode only)
      --sign-mode string                    Choose sign mode (direct|amino-json), this is an advanced feature
      --timeout-height uint                 Set a block timeout height to prevent the tx from being committed past a certain height
      --website string                      The validator's (optional) website
  -y, --yes                                 Skip tx broadcasting prompt confirmation
 
Global Flags:
      --chain-id string     The network chain ID
      --home string         directory for config and data (default "/Users/brandon/.sei")
      --log_format string   The logging format (json|plain)
      --log_level string    The logging level (trace|debug|info|warn|error|fatal|panic)
      --trace               print out full stack trace on errors

Check if your validator is in the active set, if not you may need to delegate/stake more Sei as there's a limit to the number of active validators

seid query tendermint-validator-set | grep "$(seid tendermint show-validator | jq -r .key)"

What is a Validator Implement Security Practices