Lodestar Setup Guide v2 - Part 4: Funding your Validator Keys

Last Updated: January 17, 2022

Table of Contents

• Lodestar Setup Guide v2 - Part 4: Funding your Validator Keys
• Overview
  • Check the Status of your Validator Deposits

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This is Part 4 of a step-by-step guide to setup the ChainSafe Lodestar consensus client on the Ethereum Beacon Chain.

This guide is separated into a series of parts, grouped by related steps to setup a full Lodestar consensus beacon node and validator client from start to finish. The topics are separated as follows:

• Lodestar Setup Guide Overview
• Part 1: Generating Staking Data
• Part 2: Set up and Secure your Server
• Part 3a: Setup Lodestar with Docker Compose
• Part 3b: Setup Lodestar with Systemd and NPM Coming Soon!
• Part 4: Funding your Validator Keys
• Final Remarks, Next Steps & Appendix

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Overview

Now that your set up is up and running you will need to deposit ETH to fund your validators.

NOTE: If you have already submitted your staking deposits you can skip this step.

This step involves depositing the required amount of ETH to the Eth2.0 deposit contract. DO NOT SEND ETH TO THE DEPOSIT CONTRACT. This is done in a web browser running your MetaMask (or other) wallet via the Eth2.0 Launchpad website.

Go here: https://launchpad.ethereum.org/

Click through the warning steps and continue through the screens until you get to the Generate Key Pairs section. Select the number of validators you are going to run. Choose a value that matches the number of validator files you generated in Step 1.

TESTNET USERS: Go here for Prater testnet users:
https://prater.launchpad.ethereum.org/

Click through the warning steps and continue through the screens until you get to the Generate Key Pairs section. Select the number of validators you are going to run. Choose a value that matches the number of validator files you generated in Step 1.

You will be asked to upload the deposit_data-[timestamp].json file. You generated this file in Step 1. Browse/select or drag the file and click Continue.

Connect your wallet. Choose MetaMask (or one of the other supported wallets), log in, select the account where you have your ETH and click Continue.

Your MetaMask balance will be displayed. The site will allow you to continue if you have selected Mainnet and you have sufficient ETH balance.

A summary shows the number of validators and total amount of ETH required. Tick the boxes if you agree and click continue.

If you are ready to deposit click on Confirm deposit.

This will pop open MetaMask (or other wallet) where you can confirm each transaction.

Once all the transactions have successfully completed you are done!

Congratulations you have deposited your stake!

Check the Status of your Validator Deposits

Newly added validators can take a while (hours to days) to activate. You can check the status of your keys with these steps:

1. Copy your MetaMask (or other) wallet address.
2. Go here: beaconcha.in/
   (If on the Prater testnet, use prater.beaconcha.in)
3. Search for your key(s) using your wallet address.

Diving into a specific validator you see a Status that provides an estimate until activation for each validator.

You now have a functioning beacon chain and validator and your mainnet/testnet deposit is in. Once your deposit is active and the Ethereum 2.0 mainnet is running you will begin staking and earning rewards.

That's it! Head over to the Final Remarks section for some important points on your next steps!