Guide | MEV-boost for Ethereum Staking
Quickstart guide to setting up MEV-boost for your ETH validator.
The following steps align with our mainnet guide. You may need to adjust file names and directory locations where appropriate. The core concepts remain the same.
- Enables solo and home stakers access to MEV, Maximal Extractible Value.
- Enables validators to earn higher block rewards.
- Optional and not required for ETH staking.
- Open source middleware run by validators to access a competitive block-building market.
- Built by Flashbots as an implementation of proposer-builder separation (PBS) for proof-of-stake (PoS) Ethereum.
home-staker (you) >> mevboost >> relay >> builder >> searcher +/- frontrun/sandwich += efficient markets :)
tldr: MEV is estimated be 11% of a validator rewards. Other estimates suggest it can boost staking rewards by over 60%.
Prerequisite: You run a full Ethereum node (Execution Layer client [e.g. geth/besu/nethermind/erigon] + Consensus Layer client [e.g. prysm/lighthouse/teku/lodestar/nimbus]) and a validator.
First start by installing Go and removing any previous Go installations.
cd $HOME
wget -O go.tar.gz https://go.dev/dl/go1.19.6.linux-amd64.tar.gz
sudo rm -rf /usr/local/go && sudo tar -C /usr/local -xzf go.tar.gz
rm go.tar.gz
echo export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/go/bin >> $HOME/.bashrc
source $HOME/.bashrc
Verify that you've installed Go 1.18+ by printing the version information.
go version
The systemd service will run under this account,
mevboostsudo useradd --no-create-home --shell /bin/false mevboost
Install build dependencies.
sudo apt -y install build-essential
Install mev-boost with
go installCGO_CFLAGS="-O -D__BLST_PORTABLE__" go install github.com/flashbots/[email protected]
Install binaries to
/usr/local/bin and update ownership permissions.sudo cp $HOME/go/bin/mev-boost /usr/local/bin
sudo chown mevboost:mevboost /usr/local/bin/mev-boost
Create the mevboost systemd unit file.
sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/mevboost.service
The
ExecStart line lists five relays, Agnostic, UltraSound, Aestus, bloXroute Max Profit and bloXroute Ethical. Remove or add other relays according to your ethical preferences. Add as many relays as you wish.Find relay endpoints at:
Multiple relays can be specified by
-relayExample:
-relay https://RELAY1.COM \
-relay https://RELAY2.COM \
-relay https://RELAY3.COM
Important: Ensure each relay line ends with \ except the last relay line.
Paste the following into your
mevboost.service file. To exit and save from the nano editor, press Ctrl + X, then Y, thenEnter.[Unit]
Description=mev-boost ethereum mainnet
Wants=network-online.target
After=network-online.target
[Service]
User=mevboost
Group=mevboost
Type=simple
Restart=always
RestartSec=5
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/mev-boost \
-mainnet \
-min-bid 0.05 \
-relay-check \
-relay https://0xad0a8bb54565c2211cee576363f3a3470[email protected]bloxroute.ethical.blxrbdn.com \
-relay https://0xa7ab7a996c8584251c8f925da3170bdfd[email protected]agnostic-relay.net \
-relay https://0xa1559ace749633b997cb3fdacffb890ae[email protected]relay.ultrasound.money \
-relay https://0xa15b52576bcbf1072f4a011c0f99f9fb6[email protected]aestus.live \
-relay https://0x8b5d2e73e2a3a55c6c87b8b6eb92e0149[email protected]bloxroute.max-profit.blxrbdn.com
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
Using
-min-bid flag, you can set a minimum bid value in ETH. - If all relays cannot bid higher than your minimum value, then your local execution client will produce the block.
- By setting this value, you can capture MEV opportunities for higher value blocks and maintain a degree of control for local block production which helps strengthen censorship resistance and a neutral Ethereum network.
Reload systemctl to pickup the new service file.
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
Good to know: If you add or remove relay endpoints, you'll need to re-run this systemctl
daemon-reload command and restart the mevboost services.Enable mevboost to automatically startup at system reboots and start the service.
sudo systemctl enable mevboost
sudo systemctl start mevboost
Check that the service started successfully.
sudo systemctl status mevboost
Sample of systemd logs showing mevboost running nominally.
● mevboost.service - mev-boost ethereum mainnet
Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/mevboost.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
Active: active (running) since Mon 2022-09-17 23:32:00; 10s ago
Main PID: 12321 (mev-boost)
Tasks: 11 (limit: 34236)
Memory: 15.4M
CGroup: /system.slice/mevboost.service
└─12321 /usr/local/bin/mev-boost -mainnet -relay-check -relays https://0xac6e77dfe25ecd6110b8e780608cce0da[email protected]boost-relay.flashbots.net,https://0xad0a8bb54565c2211cee576363f3>
View Logs with the following command:
sudo journalctl -fu mevboost
Sample of logs showing mevboost running nominally.
Sep 17 23:32:23 ethstaker systemd[1]: Started MEV-Boost Relay.
Sep 17 23:32:23 ethstaker mev-boost[12321]: time="2022-09-17T23:32:32-00:00" level=info msg="mev-boost v1.3.1" module=cli
Sep 17 23:32:23 ethstaker mev-boost[12321]: time="2022-09-17T23:32:32-00:00" level=info msg="Using genesis fork version: 0x00000000" module=cli
Sep 17 23:32:23 ethstaker mev-boost[12321]: time="2022-09-17T23:32:32-00:00" level=info msg="using 2 relays" module=cli relays="[{0xac6e77dfe25ecd6110b8e780608cce0dab71fdd5ebea22a16c0205200f2f8e2e3ad3b71d3499c54ad14d6c21b41a37ae https://0xac6e77dfe25ecd6110b8e780608cce0da[email protected]boost-relay.flashbots.net} {0xad0a8bb54565c2211cee576363f3a347089d2f07cf72679d16911d740262694cadb62d7fd7483f27afd714ca0f1b9118 https://0xad0a8bb54565c2211cee576363f3a347089d2f07cf72679d16911d740262694cadb62d7fd7483f27a[email protected]}]"
Sep 17 23:32:23 ethstaker mev-boost[12321]: time="2022-09-17T23:32:32-00:00" level=info msg="Checking relay" module=service relay="https://0xac6e77dfe25ecd6110b8e780608cce0da[email protected]boost-relay.flashbots.net"
Sep 17 23:32:23 ethstaker mev-boost[12321]: time="2022-09-17T23:32:32-00:00" level=info msg="Checking relay" module=service relay="https://0xad0a8bb54565c2211cee576363f3a3470[email protected]bloxroute.ethical.blxrbdn.com"
Sep 17 23:32:23 ethstaker mev-boost[12321]: time="2022-09-17T23:32:32-00:00" level=info msg="listening on localhost:18550" module=cli
Both the consensus layer client and validator will require additional Builder API flags.
Consensus Client Layer Changes (beacon chain)
Add the appropriate flag to the
ExecStart line of your consensus client service file. To exit and save from the nano editor, press Ctrl + X, then Y, thenEnter.sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/beacon-chain.service
Lighthouse
Teku
Lodestar
Nimbus
Prysm
--builder http://127.0.0.1:18550
If your Teku client is configured by passing in a TOML file (i.e. teku.yaml), edit
teku.yaml with nano.sudo nano /etc/teku/teku.yaml
Add the following lines to the yaml file:
# mevboost
validators-builder-registration-default-enabled: true
builder-endpoint: "http://127.0.0.1:18550"
Alternatively, if your Teku client is configured by --parameters in the systemd service file, add the following changes.
--validators-builder-registration-default-enabled=true --builder-endpoint=http://127.0.0.1:18550
Use one configuration or the other but not both!
--builder --builder.urls http://127.0.0.1:18550
--payload-builder=true --payload-builder-url=http://127.0.0.1:18550
--http-mev-relay=http://127.0.0.1:18550
Validator Client Changes
If required, add the appropriate flag to the
ExecStart line of your validator client service file. To exit and save from the nano editor, press Ctrl + X, then Y, thenEnter.sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/validator.service
Lighthouse
Teku
Lodestar
Nimbus
Prysm
--builder-proposals
WARNING: Only do the following if running Teku validator in a separate client. Most common setups do not use this configuration.
--validators-builder-registration-default-enabled=true
--validators-proposer-config="/etc/teku/proposerConfig.json"
Create a proposerConfig.json file with the following:
sudo nano /etc/teku/proposerConfig.json
For example, enable MEV by default, and keep it disabled for a specific key.
{
"proposer_config": {
"0xa057816155ad77931185101128655c0191bd0214c201ca48ed887f6c4c6adf334070efcd75140eada5ac83a92506dd7a": {
"fee_recipient": "0x50155530FCE8a85ec7055A5F8b2bE214B3DaeFd3",
"builder": {
"enabled": false
}
}
},
"default_config": {
"fee_recipient": "0x6e35733c5af9B61374A128e6F85f553aF09ff89A",
"builder": {
"enabled": true
}
}
}
Update file ownership permissions.
sudo chown mevboost:mevboost /etc/teku/proposerConfig.json
--builder
Runs in consensus client, not needed.
--enable-builder
After configuring your consensus client and validator to enable mevboost, reload and restart your services.
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl restart beacon-chain validator
Verify your logs look error-free and show use of the new MEV configurations.
journalctl -fu beacon-chain
journalctl -fu validator
Congrats! Your validator with mev-boost will earn more rewards when proposing a block.
Update to the latest release with the following commands.
Compile new binaries and stop the service.
CGO_CFLAGS="-O -D__BLST_PORTABLE__" go install github.com/flashbots/[email protected]
sudo systemctl stop mevboost
Install new binaries to
/usr/local/bin and start the service.sudo cp ~/go/bin/mev-boost /usr/local/bin
sudo chown mevboost:mevboost /usr/local/bin/mev-boost
sudo systemctl start mevboost
sudo systemctl stop mevboost
sudo systemctl disable mevboost
sudo rm /etc/systemd/system/mevboost.service
sudo rm /usr/local/bin/mev-boost
sudo userdel mevboost
Verify that your validator is registered with a particular relay by making a request to the relay's API.
You can either manually query the relay's API or use dabauxi's Check MEV-Boost Relay Registration script.
# Install python
sudo apt install python3
# Download the script
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dabauxi/check-mevboost-registration/main/check_mevboost_registration.py
# Assign execution permissions
chmod +x check_mevboost_registration.py
# Check mevboost registration
./check_mevboost_registration.py <your-validator-address>
Sample output showing your validator's registration to relays.
./check_mevboost_registration.py 0x8000a44457e18388c5be046e22e86aedae1a07638394df63adfcd32d29b4e86c030219e94782ebebe398c9a05a8a28e7
Validator '0x8000a44457e18388c5be046e22e86aedae1a07638394df63adfcd32d29b4e86c030219e94782ebebe398c9a05a8a28e7'
Relay: 'bloxroute.ethical.blxrbdn.com', ❌ not found
Relay: 'relay.edennetwork.io', ❌ not found
Relay: 'builder-relay-mainnet.blocknative.com', ✔️ registered
Relay: 'bloxroute.max-profit.blxrbdn.com', ✔️ registered
Relay: 'boost-relay.flashbots.net', ✔️ registered
Relay: 'bloxroute.regulated.blxrbdn.com', ❌ not found
Relay: 'builder-relay-mainnet.blocknative.com', ✔️ registered
Relay: 'relay.edennetwork.io', ❌ not found
Relay: 'mainnet-relay.securerpc.com', ✔️ registered
Relay: 'relayooor.wtf', ✔️ registered
Relay: 'relay.ultrasound.money', ✔️ registered
Relay: 'agnostic-relay.net', ✔️ registered
For example, to verify that your validator is registered with the flashbots relay, enter the following URL into your browser. Replace
<myPubKey> with the public key of your validator and you will see registration data such as your fee recipient address.https://boost-relay.flashbots.net/relay/v1/data/validator_registration?pubkey=<myPubKey>
Sample command:
https://boost-relay.flashbots.net/relay/v1/data/validator_registration?pubkey=0xb510871a4600b184e83b1ca28402e4de31b5db968f28196419ab64c6e4e2b39920815a61b0bdfe8c928ae8a4db308517
Sample output:
{"message":{"fee_recipient":"0xebec795c9c8bbd61ffc14a6662944748f299cacf","gas_limit":"30000000","timestamp":"1663454829","pubkey":"0xb510871a4600b184e83b1ca28402e4de31b5db968f28196419ab64c6e4e2b39920815a61b0bdfe8c928ae8a4db308517"},"signature":"0xaeaffeb2f67f378fc8e0e31929a958bf51895d64e93246372e6bb8609c15b3d64b4ad56a5454bc3ac1be0bc57dce031c12c066c973125312d7e4c5020509edd0aaf98a6a190081305723a89e3dcd7b3f6b1ca40b92bb1a50e5714c28407e1bf9"}
Refer to this article by Stephane Gosslin, which explains the benefits of MEV-boost to the network and you, as a validator.
- Ethereum stakers must run three pieces of software: a validator client, consensus client, and an execution client.
- MEV-boost is a separate piece of open source software, which queries and outsources block-building to a network of builders.
- Block builders prepare full blocks, optimizing for MEV extraction and fair distribution of rewards.
- They then submit their blocks to relays.
- Relays aggregate blocks from multiple builders in order to select the block with the highest fees.
- One instance of MEV-boost can be configured by a validator to connect to multiple relays.
- The Consensus Layer client of a validator proposes the most profitable block received from MEV-boost to the Ethereum network for attestation and block inclusion.
- Adding more relays increases risk of adding a "bad" relay (hacked, withholds bid, performance issues) and causes your validator to miss a proposal.
- More relays = more chance of getting a high-bid block however this also increases chance of getting rugged by "bad" relays and missing a proposal.Requires trust that relays and block builders will act honestly. MEV is not yet a trust-less process until there is protocol-level proposer-builder-separation (PBS).
Detailed explanation: https://writings.flashbots.net/writings/understanding-mev-boost-liveness-risks
Summary of risks: Only add relays you trust.
Track network participation, recent MEV blocks, top relays and block builders at https://www.mevboost.org
Based on varying degrees of profit or censorship, MEV relays can decide on what transactions to bundle in a block.
- Ethical relays: will not censor transactions or profit from front running / sandwich attacks, which is harmful to everyday users on Ethereum.
- OFAC relays: will censor transactions according to the OFAC list.
- Maximal profit relays: profit is all that matters, ethics have no meaning.
- Subscribe to flashbot's mev-boost repository to be notified of new releases. Hit the Notifications button.