Adding a New Validator to an Existing Setup with Existing Seed Words

Scenario: Genesis block is long passed and now you would like to add more validators with your existing mnemonic seed.

✅ Requirements

Before continuing please have the following ready:

• Existing 24 word validator mnemonic phrase

• Existing keystore password

• ETH Withdrawal Address from your hardware wallet

Optional Step 0: Cleanup leftover validator_keys

Verify that you have backups of validator_keys directory. The contents are the keystore files.

Having backup copies of your validator_keys directory on USB media can make recovery from node problems quicker. Validator keys can always be regenerated from secret recovery mnemonic phrase.

You may safely delete the directory.

# Remove default validator_key directory
sudo rm -r $HOME/staking-deposit-cli/validator_keys

Step 1: Create new deposit_data json file and new validator_keys

In this example, using the staking-deposit-cli tool, you can add more validators by creating a new deposit data file and validator_keys

Security recommendation reminder: For best security practices, key management and other activities where you type your 24 word mnemonic seed should be completed on an air-gapped offline cold machine booted from USB drive.

Reminder to use the same keystore password as existing validators.

For example, in case we originally created 3 validators but now wish to add 5 more validators, we could use the following command.

# Generate from an existing mnemonic 5 more validators when 3 were previously already made
./deposit existing-mnemonic \
--validator_start_index 3 \
--num_validators 5 \
--chain mainnet \
--execution_address <ETH_ADDRESS_FROM_HARDWARE_WALLET>

Flag	Description
--validator_start_index	Number of validators you ALREADY created
--num_validators	Number of NEW validators you want to create
--chain	Options: mainnet holesky goerli
--execution_address	Critically important: Your Ethereum Address from a Hardware Wallet. Withdrawals will be sent to this address. If you stop validating and exit your validator, your 32 ETH will be sent here. This ETH withdrawal address is one such that you control the private keys to, ideally one from a hardware wallet. 🛑DO NOT USE A EXCHANGE ADDRESS!🛑

Step 2: Deposit 32 ETH per validator

Option 1: Visit the official Ethereum Launchpad site

Two important tasks to complete at the launchpad.

• Upload the deposit_data-#########.json

• Make the 32 ETH deposit transaction(s), 32 ETH per validator. 1 deposit transaction per validator.

Option 2: Use Abyss's Batch Ethereum Depositor to combine many validator deposits into just 1 transaction.

Step 3: Import New Validator Keys

This step assumes your new validator keys are located in

$HOME/staking-deposit-cli/validator_keys

If Wagyu was used to generate validator keys, move the keystore files to the above location.

Lighthouse

Stop your validator client.

sudo systemctl stop validator

Import your validator keys by importing your keystore file. Be sure to enter your keystore password correctly.

sudo lighthouse account validator import \
  --network mainnet \
  --datadir /var/lib/lighthouse \
  --directory=$HOME/staking-deposit-cli/validator_keys \
  --reuse-password

Verify that your keystore file was imported successfully.

sudo lighthouse account_manager validator list \
  --network mainnet \
  --datadir /var/lib/lighthouse

Once successful, you will be shown your validator's public key.

For example, 0x8d9138fcf5676e2031dc4eae30a2c92e3306903eeec83ca83f4f851afbd4cb3b33f710e6f4ac516b4598697b30b04302

Setup ownership permissions, including hardening the access to this directory.

sudo chown -R validator:validator /var/lib/lighthouse/validators
sudo chmod 700 /var/lib/lighthouse/validators

Finally, start your validator client.

sudo systemctl restart validator

Check your logs to confirm that the validator clients are up and functioning.

sudo journalctl -fu validator | ccze

For example when using 2 validators, logs will show the following:

INFO Enabled validator          voting_pubkey: 0x82b225f66476962b161ed015786df00a0b7b28231915e6d09e81ba8d5c4ae8502b6d5337e3bf101ad72741dc69f0a7cf, signing_method: local_keystore
INFO Enabled validator          voting_pubkey: 0x95d39860a0d6ea3b92cba78069d21f3a987988f3b8417b14f0945353d79ed9e338bbe6e9d63d487abc044a710ce34866, signing_method: local_keystore
INFO Initialized validators     enabled: 2, disabled: 0

Lodestar

Stop your validator client.

sudo systemctl stop validator

Import your validator keys by importing your keystore file. Be sure to enter your keystore password correctly.

cd /usr/local/bin/lodestar
sudo ./lodestar validator import \
  --network mainnet \
  --dataDir="/var/lib/lodestar/validators" \
  --keystore=$HOME/staking-deposit-cli/validator_keys

Verify that your keystore file was imported successfully.

sudo ./lodestar validator list \
  --network mainnet \
  --dataDir="/var/lib/lodestar/validators"

Once successful, you will be shown your validator's public key.

For example, 0x8d9138fcf5676e2031dc4eae30a2c92e3306903eeec83ca83f4f851afbd4cb3b33f710e6f4ac516b4598697b30b04302

Setup ownership permissions, including hardening the access to this directory.

sudo chown -R validator:validator /var/lib/lodestar/validators
sudo chmod 700 /var/lib/lodestar/validators

Finally, restart to use the new validators.

sudo systemctl restart validator

Check your logs to confirm that the validator clients are up and functioning.

sudo journalctl -fu validator | ccze

For example when using 2 validators, logs will show the following:

info: 100% of local keystores imported. current=2 total=2 rate=975.61keys/m
info: 2 local keystores
info: 0x82b225f66476962b161ed015786df00a0b7b28231915e6d09e81ba8d5c4ae8502b6d5337e3bf101ad72741dc69f0a7cf
info: 0x95d39860a0d6ea3b92cba78069d21f3a987988f3b8417b14f0945353d79ed9e338bbe6e9d63d487abc044a710ce34866

Press Ctrl + C to exit the logs.

Teku

Option 1: For standalone validator

Stop your Teku client.

sudo systemctl stop validator

Storing your keystore password in a text file is required so that Teku can decrypt and load your validators automatically.

Create a temporary file to store your keystore password. Type your password in this file.

sudo nano $HOME/validators-password.txt

To exit and save, press Ctrl + X, then Y, then Enter.

Confirm that your keystore password is correct.

sudo cat $HOME/validators-password.txt

Run the following command to create a corresponding password file for every one of your validators.

for f in $HOME/staking-deposit-cli/validator_keys/keystore*.json; do sudo cp $HOME/validators-password.txt $HOME/staking-deposit-cli/validator_keys/$(basename $f .json).txt; done

Copy keystores to validator folder

sudo cp $HOME/staking-deposit-cli/validator_keys/keystore* /var/lib/teku_validator/validator_keys

Setup ownership permissions, including hardening the access to this directory.

sudo chown -R validator:validator /var/lib/teku_validator
sudo chmod -R 700 /var/lib/teku_validator

Verify that your validator's keystore .json files and validator's passwords .txt files are present by checking the following directory.

sudo ls -l /var/lib/teku_validator/validator_keys

Example output of two validator's keystore.json files with matching password.txt files.

-rwx------ 1 consensus consensus 710 Sep 19 23:39 keystore-m_12381_3600_1_0_0-1695165818.json
-rwx------ 1 consensus consensus  43 Sep 19 23:39 keystore-m_12381_3600_1_0_0-1695165818.txt
-rwx------ 1 consensus consensus 710 Sep 19 23:39 keystore-m_12381_3600_2_0_0-1695165819.json
-rwx------ 1 consensus consensus  43 Sep 19 23:39 keystore-m_12381_3600_2_0_0-1695165819.txt

Delete the temporary keystore password file.

sudo rm $HOME/validators-password.txt

Finally, restart Teku to use the new validators.

sudo systemctl restart validator

Check your logs to confirm that the validators are up and functioning.

sudo journalctl -fu validator | ccze

For example when using 2 validators, logs will show the following:

INFO  - Loading 2 validator keys...
INFO  - Loaded 2 Validators: 95d3986, 82b225f

Option 2: For Combined CL+VC

Stop your Teku client.

sudo systemctl stop consensus

Storing your keystore password in a text file is required so that Teku can decrypt and load your validators automatically.

Create a temporary file to store your keystore password. Type your password in this file.

sudo nano $HOME/validators-password.txt

To exit and save, press Ctrl + X, then Y, then Enter.

Confirm that your keystore password is correct.

sudo cat $HOME/validators-password.txt

Run the following command to create a corresponding password file for every one of your validators.

for f in $HOME/staking-deposit-cli/validator_keys/keystore*.json; do sudo cp $HOME/validators-password.txt $HOME/staking-deposit-cli/validator_keys/$(basename $f .json).txt; done

Copy keystores to validator folder

sudo cp $HOME/staking-deposit-cli/validator_keys/keystore* /var/lib/teku/validator_keys

Setup ownership permissions, including hardening the access to this directory.

sudo chown -R consensus:consensus /var/lib/teku/
sudo chmod -R 700 /var/lib/teku/validator_keys

Verify that your validator's keystore .json files and validator's passwords .txt files are present by checking the following directory.

sudo ls -l /var/lib/teku/validator_keys

Example output of two validator's keystore.json files with matching password.txt files.

-rwx------ 1 consensus consensus 710 Sep 19 23:39 keystore-m_12381_3600_1_0_0-1695165818.json
-rwx------ 1 consensus consensus  43 Sep 19 23:39 keystore-m_12381_3600_1_0_0-1695165818.txt
-rwx------ 1 consensus consensus 710 Sep 19 23:39 keystore-m_12381_3600_2_0_0-1695165819.json
-rwx------ 1 consensus consensus  43 Sep 19 23:39 keystore-m_12381_3600_2_0_0-1695165819.txt

Delete the temporary keystore password file.

sudo rm $HOME/validators-password.txt

Finally, restart Teku to use the new validators.

sudo systemctl restart consensus

Check your logs to confirm that the validators are up and functioning.

sudo journalctl -fu consensus | ccze

For example when using 2 validators, logs will show the following:

INFO  - Loading 2 validator keys...
INFO  - Loaded 2 Validators: 95d3986, 82b225f

Nimbus

Option 1: For standalone validator

Stop your Nimbus client.

sudo systemctl stop validator

Enter your keystore password to import accounts.

sudo /usr/local/bin/nimbus_beacon_node deposits import \
  --data-dir=/var/lib/nimbus_validator $HOME/staking-deposit-cli/validator_keys

Now you can verify the accounts were imported successfully by doing a directory listing.

sudo ls -l /var/lib/nimbus_validator/validators

You should see a folder named for each of your validator's pubkey.

Setup ownership permissions, including hardening the access to this directory.

sudo chown -R validator:validator /var/lib/nimbus_validator
sudo chmod -R 700 /var/lib/nimbus_validator

Finally, restart Nimbus to use the new validators.

sudo systemctl restart validator

Check your logs to confirm that the validators are up and functioning.

sudo journalctl -fu validator | ccze

For example when using 2 validators, logs will show the following:

Loading validators             topics="beacval" validatorsDir=/var/lib/nimbus/validators keystore_cache_available=true
Local validator attached       topics="val_pool" pubkey=95d39860a0d6ea3b92cba78069d21f3a validator=95d39860 initial_fee_recipient=81ba8d5c4ae850
Local validator attached       topics="val_pool" pubkey=82b225f66476962b161ed015786df00f validator=82b225f6 initial_fee_recipient=81ba8d5c4ae850

Option 2: For Combined CL+VC

Stop your Nimbus client.

sudo systemctl stop consensus

Enter your keystore password to import accounts.

sudo /usr/local/bin/nimbus_beacon_node deposits import \
  --data-dir=/var/lib/nimbus $HOME/staking-deposit-cli/validator_keys

Now you can verify the accounts were imported successfully by doing a directory listing.

sudo ls -l /var/lib/nimbus/validators

You should see a folder named for each of your validator's pubkey.

Setup ownership permissions, including hardening the access to this directory.

sudo chown -R consensus:consensus /var/lib/nimbus
sudo chmod -R 700 /var/lib/nimbus

Finally, restart Nimbus to use the new validators.

sudo systemctl restart consensus

Check your logs to confirm that the validators are up and functioning.

sudo journalctl -fu consensus | ccze

For example when using 2 validators, logs will show the following:

Loading validators             topics="beacval" validatorsDir=/var/lib/nimbus/validators keystore_cache_available=true
Local validator attached       topics="val_pool" pubkey=95d39860a0d6ea3b92cba78069d21f3a validator=95d39860 initial_fee_recipient=81ba8d5c4ae850
Local validator attached       topics="val_pool" pubkey=82b225f66476962b161ed015786df00f validator=82b225f6 initial_fee_recipient=81ba8d5c4ae850

Prysm

Stop your validator client.

sudo systemctl stop validator

Import your validator keys by importing your keystore file. When asked to create a new wallet password, enter your keystore password. When prompted for the imported accounts password, enter your keystore password again.

If using Binaries,

sudo /usr/local/bin/validator accounts import \
  --accept-terms-of-use \
  --mainnet \
  --wallet-dir=/var/lib/prysm/validators \
  --keys-dir=$HOME/staking-deposit-cli/validator_keys

If Built from Source,

cd /usr/local/bin/prysm
sudo bazel run //validator:validator -- accounts import \
  --accept-terms-of-use \
  --mainnet \
  --wallet-dir=/var/lib/prysm/validators \
  --keys-dir=$HOME/staking-deposit-cli/validator_keys

Verify that your keystore file was imported successfully.

If using Binaries,

sudo /usr/local/bin/validator accounts list \
  --wallet-dir=/var/lib/prysm/validators \
  --mainnet

If Built from Source,

cd /usr/local/bin/prysm
sudo bazel run //validator:validator -- accounts list \
  --wallet-dir=/var/lib/prysm/validator \
  --mainnet

Once successful, you will be shown your validator's public key. For example:

Showing 2 validator accounts
View the eth1 deposit transaction data for your accounts by running `validator accounts list --show-deposit-data`

Account 0 | gently-learning-chamois
[validating public key] 0x95d39860a0d6ea3b92cba78069d21f3a987988f3b8417b14f0945353d79ed9e338bbe6e9d63d487abc044a710ce34866

Account 1 | presumably-powerful-lynx
[validating public key] 0x82b225f66476962b161ed015786df00a0b7b28231915e6d09e81ba8d5c4ae8502b6d5337e3bf101ad72741dc69f0a7cf

Setup ownership permissions, including hardening the access to this directory.

sudo chown -R validator:validator /var/lib/prysm/validators
sudo chmod 700 /var/lib/prysm/validators

Finally, restart Prsym validator to use the new validators.

sudo systemctl restart validator

Check your logs to confirm that the validator clients are up and functioning.

sudo journalctl -fu validator | ccze

For example when using 2 validators, logs will show the following:

level=info msg="Validating for public key" prefix=validator publicKey=0x95d39860a0d6
level=info msg="Validating for public key" prefix=validator publicKey=0x82b225f66476

Step 4: Backup and Delete validator_keys directory

Make backup copies of your validator_keys directory to USB media or other devices. These validator keys can always be regenerated from secret recovery mnemonic phrase.

Afterwards, you may safely delete the directory.

# Remove default validator_key directory
sudo rm -r $HOME/staking-deposit-cli/validator_keys

Step 5: Estimate when your new validator becomes active

Your additional validators are now in the activation queue waiting their turn. Check the "Entry Queue" for your estimated wait time at https://www.validatorqueue.com

In the below example, the wait time was approximately 11 days, 1 hour until a new validator became active.

Entry Queue