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SPDX-License-Identifier Apache-2.0
copyright This file is part of midnight-docs. Copyright (C) 2025 Midnight Foundation. Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); You may not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0 Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under the License.

Begin operating a Cardano Stake Pool

Midnight serves as a partner-chain to Cardano, presenting a distinctive opportunity for Cardano Stake Pool Operators (SPOs) to uphold the decentralization and security of Midnight. For SPOs interested in producing blocks for Midnight, they must register as candidates in the validator committee for the Midnight partner-chain.

To embark on the path of becoming a Midnight validator, one must either be, or become, a Cardano stake pool operator (SPO) within a Cardano environment that is supported for this role.

Supported environments

Cardano env. Status Midnight env.
preview ✅ preview
preprod ✅ preprod
mainnet ❌ N/A

Become a Cardano SPO

Requirements

  1. Cardano node version 10.1.4. Please use this version.
  2. 500 tAda + fee for stake pool pledge.
  3. A UTXO for the Midnight validator registration fee, with its payment.skey.
  4. SPO cold.skey will also be needed within the Midnight validator registration process.
  5. Air-gapped device for secret storage (optional for testnets).

:::info

Use regular Ed25519 keys or extended Ed25519 keys.

:::

graph TD;
    BPN[Block producing node] --> RN[Relay node];
    RN --> BPN;
    SP(Stake pool) --> BPN;
    style SP fill:none,stroke-dasharray: 5,5;
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Useful Cardano stake pool operation resources

  • Cardano Handbook - A comprehensive guide covering everything from running a Cardano node to managing a stake pool. This is highly recommended for new Stake Pool Operators (SPOs) to grasp the fundamentals.
  • Guild Operators SPO Toolkit - A resourceful toolkit designed to expedite the setup and management of a Stake Pool Operator. Perfect for those with some technical background who want to dive straight into practical operation without extensive reading.