Become a PulseChain Validator

PulseChain is a fork of Ethereum 2.0, with faster and cheaper transactions as well as powering the PulseX decentralized exchange and the sleeping giant which is the Richard Heart ecosystem. And just like Ethereum, you can help decentralize one of the greatest blockchain networks in town by becoming a validator node operation AND earn fees for your time and investment.

Introduction

First, a few basics from the PulseChain Launchpad about what a validator and node operator is…

What exactly is a validator?

A validator is a virtual entity that lives on the Beacon Chain,
represented by a balance, public key, and other properties,
and participates in consensus of the Ethereum network.

What is a validator client?

A validator client is the software that acts on behalf of the
validator by holding and using its private key to make attestations
about the state of the chain. A single validator client can
hold many key pairs, controlling many validators.

What is a node operator?

A node operator is the human being who makes sure the client
software is running appropriately, maintaining hardware as
needed.

How much PLS do I need to stake to become a validator?
Each key-pair associated with a validator requires locking
32,000,000 PLS to be activated, which represents your initial
balance as well as your initial and maximum voting power for
any validator.

The Process

Now that you understand what being a validator means, let’s see what the process looks like and how it’s been simplified with code.

The community has built open source scripts to make becoming a validator and running your own node so much easier than before. If you’d like to use these scripts on Github, you can then follow these steps to run your own PulseChain validator.

Becoming a validator requires some basic Linux command line, hardware and networking knowledge. Earnings depend on a number of factors including the current APR, PLS price, number of validators you choose to run and keeping your server online and functioning well.

And the whole process takes around 3 days from start to finish after you’ve got the hardware, assuming little or no hiccups along the way, making it a *fun* weekend activity!

So are you up for it?

Let’s take a quick look at the steps involved so you can figure out if you’re interested and want to follow the video walkthrough at the end of the post.

Step 1

Get the hardware.

You can check the minimum requirements (based on community consensus) here and either build your own, buy your own or rent a server on Digital Ocean (cheaper) or AWS that meets or exceeds the necessary server specs.

Step 2

Install Linux.

Ubuntu Linux 22.04 LTS, in particular, is recommended and supported by most scripts.

Read more about this server environment here.

Step 3

Download and run the setup script.

Simply give it your server’s IP address and the blockchain address where you want priority fees to be sent, that’s it. Then, wait an hour for the process to complete.

All the instructions to get started can be found here.

Step 4

Finish the setup with the necessary manual steps.

The biggest step here is securely generating your validator keys and specifying your withdrawal address. This is where the fees you earn as a validator will be sent automatically and where the contract will return your 32m PLS deposit (per validator) if and when you exit the network as a validator. This is all explained in detail on the github and all the video content.

It usually takes about 2-3 days for the complete process, from start to finish. You provision a server with the script, sync the blockchain and become activated on the network.

Follow all the final steps here.

Step 5

Sit back and relax.

You did it! Welcome to the party.

Now you can check your earnings by looking at your withdrawal and priority fee address balances on the blockchain explorer. You can also check the status of your validator on the beacon explorer.

Perform (or automate) your minimal, regular maintenance and make sure to keep your validator in good, functioning shape or else risk penalties. If you’re running your validator server in the cloud, your hosting company takes care of the utilities and uptime guarentees. However if you’re running it at home, picking up a UPS battery backup can help keep your server and network running smoothly in case of minor outages.

How long does it take to sync everything? Can you add more validators later? How much does it cost? What else can I do? What about security?

Check out the FAQ for answers to these questions and much more.

Ready to dive in?

The video below provides a more detailed explanation of all the moving parts and brief walkthrough of the code and setup process.

Grab some coffee and let’s go!

It’s basically the same process as becoming an Ethereum validator, except on a new, exciting blockchain that focuses on trustless yield and designed for winning. The APR and PLS price may fluctuate up and down, and while nobody has a crystal ball, if it’s anything like being an early Ethereum validator, you could find it quite rewarding (this is not financial advice of course).

We are excited to see the PulseChain ecosystem grow and products like HEX and PulseX with the INC token thrive on this incredible network! And you can help run the network by becoming a validator.