Run a Validator Node

The Shardeum mainnet has successfully upgraded to v1.1.0 (Cosmos EVM v0.6.3). Network operations have resumed, and v1.1.0 is the current mainnet release. New nodes syncing from genesis must follow the historical binary instructions in the Start and Sync the Node section below. View upgrade details | Download v1.1.0

A validator node participates in block production and consensus, requires staking, and must maintain high uptime. Validators can be jailed or slashed for misbehavior.

This guide describes how to install, configure, and operate a validator node on Shardeum EVM mainnet.

1. System Requirements

Operating System: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
CPU: 4 cores (8 threads)
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD
Network: 100 Mbps dedicated
Dependencies: git, jq, curl, make, build-essential, pkg-config
Go: Version 1.25+

Install dependencies:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install git jq curl make build-essential pkg-config -y

Install Go:

curl -LO https://go.dev/dl/go1.25.0.linux-amd64.tar.gz
sudo rm -rf /usr/local/go
sudo tar -C /usr/local -xzf go1.25.0.linux-amd64.tar.gz
echo 'export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/go/bin' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc
go version

2. Install Shardeum Node Binary

Fetch the latest release tags and check out the supported mainnet release:

git fetch --tags
git checkout v1.1.0

Build and install the binary (may take several minutes):

make install

Add Go bin directory to PATH:

echo 'export PATH=$PATH:$HOME/go/bin' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Verify the installation:

shardeumd version

3. Set Environment Variables

Set the config from the base folder of the source code (shardeum-evm):

export SHARDEUM_CONFIG_DIR="$PWD/config"
export SHARDEUM_NETWORK=mainnet
export BINARY=$(command -v shardeumd)

4. Initialize the Node

PLEASE ENSURE YOUR KEYS ARE SECURED PROPERLY

Choose identifiers:

NODE_ID="<validator-id>"  # pick a short id like node0, node1 or shardeumnode
MONIKER="<validator-name>"  # choose your validator name which is easy to remember

Initialize:

shardeumd init "$MONIKER" \
  --chain-id shardeum_8118-1 \
  --home $HOME/.mainnet/$NODE_ID \
  --overwrite

5. Copy Genesis File

Copy the genesis file from the repository:

cp config/mainnet-genesis.json $HOME/.mainnet/$NODE_ID/config/genesis.json

Check that the genesis file has been copied correctly:

ls -lh $HOME/.mainnet/$NODE_ID/config/genesis.json

Validate the genesis file and check chain ID:

jq -r '.chain_id' $HOME/.mainnet/$NODE_ID/config/genesis.json

The expected chain ID value is:

shardeum_8118-1

6. Start and Sync the Node

Before You Start: Syncing a New Node From Genesis After a State-Breaking Upgrade

Skip this section if your node is already synced past the latest upgrade height or if you are restoring from a compatible post-upgrade snapshot.

If a compatible post-upgrade snapshot is available, use the snapshot to bootstrap the node with the current binary. The Cosmovisor instructions below are only for nodes syncing from genesis.

When syncing a new node from genesis after a state-breaking upgrade, the node must use the binary version that corresponds to each part of the chain history.

For the current Shardeum mainnet chain history:

Use v1.0.2 to sync from genesis until the upgrade at height 7,927,860.
At the upgrade, Cosmovisor switches the node to v1.1.0.
Continue syncing with v1.1.0.

Use Cosmovisor to manage the binary switch at the upgrade height.

Set Up Cosmovisor and the Required Binaries

Install Cosmovisor:

go install cosmossdk.io/tools/cosmovisor/cmd/cosmovisor@latest
 
export PATH=$PATH:$HOME/go/bin
 
cosmovisor version

Cosmovisor uses the node's home directory to store and manage the binaries required for each part of the chain history. Set the required environment variables:

export DAEMON_NAME=shardeumd
export DAEMON_HOME="$HOME/.mainnet/$NODE_ID"
export DAEMON_ALLOW_DOWNLOAD_BINARIES=false
export DAEMON_RESTART_AFTER_UPGRADE=true

Run the remaining Cosmovisor commands in the same shell session so these environment variables remain available.

Download the required Shardeum binaries from the official releases:

Important: Use the current v1.0.2 binary from the official release. An earlier v1.0.2 binary published before October 16, 2026 cannot replay Shardeum mainnet from genesis.

mkdir -p "$HOME/shardeum-binaries"
cd "$HOME/shardeum-binaries"
 
curl -L \
  -o shardeumd-v1.0.2-linux-amd64 \
  https://github.com/shardeum/shardeum-evm/releases/download/v1.0.2/shardeumd-v1.0.2-linux-amd64
 
curl -L \
  -o shardeumd-v1.1.0-linux-amd64 \
  https://github.com/shardeum/shardeum-evm/releases/download/v1.1.0/shardeumd-v1.1.0-linux-amd64

Verify the SHA-256 checksums:

echo "1b57360a1d9ad340e396105521e19237cea5d162cc68eb265f00b1fe206d8849  shardeumd-v1.0.2-linux-amd64" | sha256sum -c -
 
echo "08cf7e6a7381bc8ffabaf265a2571304353409d85a7504f3d96fcfb0b2240f89  shardeumd-v1.1.0-linux-amd64" | sha256sum -c -

Both commands should return OK.

Make the binaries executable:

chmod +x shardeumd-v1.0.2-linux-amd64
chmod +x shardeumd-v1.1.0-linux-amd64

Initialize Cosmovisor with v1.0.2 as the genesis binary:

cosmovisor init "$HOME/shardeum-binaries/shardeumd-v1.0.2-linux-amd64"

Add v1.1.0 using the exact upgrade name:

cosmovisor add-upgrade \
  v0.4.0-to-v0.6.3 \
  "$HOME/shardeum-binaries/shardeumd-v1.1.0-linux-amd64"

Verify that both binaries are in place:

"$DAEMON_HOME/cosmovisor/genesis/bin/shardeumd" version
 
"$DAEMON_HOME/cosmovisor/upgrades/v0.4.0-to-v0.6.3/bin/shardeumd" version

Cosmovisor starts with v1.0.2. When the node reaches the upgrade at height 7,927,860, it detects the onchain upgrade and switches to v1.1.0 automatically.

Start a Genesis Sync With Cosmovisor

If you followed the genesis-sync instructions above, start the node through Cosmovisor:

cosmovisor run start \
  --home $HOME/.mainnet/$NODE_ID \
  --chain-id shardeum_8118-1 \
  --p2p.seeds ab6c31d63a4a30918dea8d74fb0393e5e10477c4@34.93.180.93:27656,3c722839d9745fc13df16cdfe0eb53f219a30949@34.14.143.72:27656 \
  --p2p.laddr tcp://0.0.0.0:27656 \
  --rpc.laddr tcp://127.0.0.1:26657 \
  --pruning nothing \
  > $HOME/.mainnet/$NODE_ID/node.log &

Watch the logs:

tail -f $HOME/.mainnet/$NODE_ID/node.log

Start the Node Normally

If you skipped the genesis-sync section because your node is already past the latest upgrade height or you restored from a compatible post-upgrade snapshot, start the node normally:

shardeumd start \
  --home $HOME/.mainnet/$NODE_ID \
  --chain-id shardeum_8118-1 \
  --p2p.seeds ab6c31d63a4a30918dea8d74fb0393e5e10477c4@34.93.180.93:27656,3c722839d9745fc13df16cdfe0eb53f219a30949@34.14.143.72:27656 \
  --p2p.laddr tcp://0.0.0.0:27656 \
  --rpc.laddr tcp://127.0.0.1:26657 \
  --pruning nothing \
  > $HOME/.mainnet/$NODE_ID/node.log &

Watch the logs:

tail -f $HOME/.mainnet/$NODE_ID/node.log

7. Check Sync Status

Look for lines similar to:

indexed block events height=2897690

If the number after height keeps increasing, your node is syncing correctly.

When the height matches the latest block shown on the explorer, your node is fully synced.

8. Create the Validator Key (After Sync)

IMPORTANT: Perform this step only after the node is fully synced.

PLEASE ENSURE YOUR KEYS ARE SECURED PROPERLY

Open a new terminal and move into the repo:

cd shardeum-evm

Set the required environment variables:

export SHARDEUM_CONFIG_DIR="$PWD/config"
export SHARDEUM_NETWORK=mainnet
export BINARY=$(command -v shardeumd)

Create a new validator key:

shardeumd keys add validator-key

or restore an existing key instead, use:

shardeumd keys add validator-key --recover

You will be prompted to set a password:

Enter keyring passphrase: {Setup a new password here}

CRITICAL: Save your mnemonic phrase securely. It is the only way to recover your validator account.

Retrieve your validator address:

shardeumd keys show validator-key -a

Make sure you store your validator keys using a secure method you trust and follow a backup process you are comfortable with.

9. Fund Your Validator Account

Your validator account must have enough SHM for:

Minimum stake: 1 SHM
Gas fees for create-validator: ~1024 SHM
Total recommended: 1025 SHM or more

Funding Options:

MetaMask (RPC: https://api.shardeum.org)
Keplr: Add Shardeum to Keplr (https://chains.keplr.app/) wallet and transfer tokens
Exchange: Withdraw SHM to your validator address

Verify your balance:

shardeumd query bank balances $(shardeumd keys show validator-key -a)

Example output:

balances:
- amount: "1025000000000000000000"
  denom: ashm
pagination:
  total: "1"

10. Create Your Validator and Stake Tokens

Get your validator public key:

shardeumd keys show validator-key -a

Get your validator consensus key:

shardeumd comet show-validator --home $HOME/.mainnet/$NODE_ID

If your node ID is node0, replace $NODE_ID with node0.

Example output:

{"@type":"/cosmos.crypto.ed25519.PubKey","key":"PA1zbDr+0Z9cVlHTqR9t263t4j2voBRovvaKfiBnzds="}

Copy the value inside the key. You will need it in the next step.

Create the validator.json file

Open the file:

nano validator.json

Paste the following template and replace the key and details as needed:

Optional: Add identity, website, and details

{
  "pubkey": {
    "@type": "/cosmos.crypto.ed25519.PubKey",
    "key": "<your validator consensus key>"
  },
  "amount": "1000000000000000000ashm",
  "moniker": "<Your validator name>",
  "identity": "<keybase-identity>",
  "website": "<https://your-website.com>",
  "security": "<contact email, optional>",
  "details": "<short description of your validator>",
  "commission-rate": "0.10",
  "commission-max-rate": "0.20",
  "commission-max-change-rate": "0.01",
  "min-self-delegation": "1"
}

Save and exit:

Ctrl+O
Press Enter
Ctrl+X

Create your validator

Run:

shardeumd tx staking create-validator validator.json \
  --from=validator-key \
  --chain-id=shardeum_8118-1 \
  --gas="auto" \
  --gas-adjustment="1.5" \
  --gas-prices="2048130280389041ashm"

Enter your keyring passphrase when asked.

You will see a full preview of the transaction. The system will then ask:

confirm transaction before signing and broadcasting [y/N]:

Type y and press Enter.

A successful result shows:

code: 0
txhash: <your transaction hash>

11. Verify Your Validator Status

Check that the validator is registered:

shardeumd query staking validator $(shardeumd keys show validator-key --bech val -a)

You should see output containing:

status: BOND_STATUS_BONDED
moniker: <your moniker>
tokens: <your voting power>
delegator_shares: <your voting power>

Success indicators:

Status: BOND_STATUS_BONDED
Voting power: > 0
Jailed: false

Validator showing jailed: true? See Unjailing a Validator

For guidance on validator troubleshooting, debugging, monitoring, and performance best practices, continue to the Advanced Operations section.

Run a Validator Node

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