This guide will help you join Neutron’s validator set after you have set up your node and configured your oracle service.
The Neutron DAO maintains a curated set of 20 validators selected based on performance metrics and technical capabilities. New validators are added when slots become available through the DAO’s rotation policy.

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Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure you have:
  1. Full Node Setup: A fully synced Neutron node running the latest version
  2. Oracle Configuration: Properly configured Slinky oracle service
  3. NTRN Tokens: Sufficient NTRN tokens for self-delegation (minimum 1 NTRN)
  4. Monitoring: Monitoring and alerting systems to maintain high performance

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Validator Selection Process

The Neutron DAO implements a transparent selection process for validators, based on:
  1. Technical Performance: Validators must consistently meet or exceed performance thresholds
  2. Dual Network Requirement: Operators must run nodes on both mainnet and testnet
  3. Prioritization: Eligible operators are prioritized by reverse order of mainnet voting power

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Rotation Criteria

Validators may be rotated out of the active set under the following conditions determined by the Neutron DAO:
A validator is considered for offboarding if:
  • Consecutive Performance Failure: No rewards from x/revenue for two months in a row
    • Notified after first month
    • Flagged for rotation after second consecutive month
  • Intermittent Performance Issues: No rewards from x/revenue for three months in a 6-month period
    • Notified after second month within a 6-month period
    • Flagged for rotation after third missed month
  • Tombstoning: Validator was tombstoned
A validator is considered for offboarding if:
  • Resumption Latency: Failed to resume signing within 60 minutes of the first finalized block after a successful upgrade
  • Precommit Latency: Failed to begin precommitting within 2 hours of the distribution of correct upgrade instructions
In both cases, validators are notified on the first occurrence and marked for rotation on the second.

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Onboarding Process

When a slot becomes available, the Neutron DAO selects new validators according to the following process:
  1. Must run both mainnet and testnet nodes
  2. Eligible operators are prioritized by reverse order of mainnet voting power
  3. Selected operators initially receive a small delegation from the DAO
  4. After demonstrating adequate performance for three months, they will receive a full delegation
  5. If they fail to perform adequately, the DAO will redelegate to the next operator in line

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Creating Your Validator

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Step 1: Create a Wallet

First, create a wallet for your validator: 
neutrond keys add <wallet-name>
Save the mnemonic phrase in a secure location. This wallet will be used for managing your validator.

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Step 2: Obtain NTRN Tokens

You’ll need NTRN tokens to stake. These can be obtained from:
  • Exchanges that list NTRN
  • Purchasing ATOM and using IBC transfer to Neutron
  • The community (Discord/Telegram) for testnet tokens

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Step 3: Submit the Create Validator Transaction

Once your node is synced and you have NTRN tokens, register your validator: 
neutrond tx staking create-validator \
  --amount=1000000untrn \
  --pubkey=$(neutrond tendermint show-validator) \
  --moniker="<your-validator-name>" \
  --website="<your-website>" \
  --details="<description>" \
  --security-contact="<email>" \
  --chain-id=neutron-1 \
  --commission-rate="0.10" \
  --commission-max-rate="0.20" \
  --commission-max-change-rate="0.01" \
  --min-self-delegation="1" \
  --gas="auto" \
  --gas-adjustment="1.5" \
  --gas-prices="0.025untrn" \
  --from=<wallet-name>

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Command Parameters Explained

ParameterDescription
amountThe amount to self-delegate (in untrn)
pubkeyYour validator’s public key
monikerA name for your validator
commission-rateInitial commission rate (e.g., 10%)
commission-max-rateMaximum commission rate (e.g., 20%)
min-self-delegationMinimum self-delegation amount

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Verify Your Validator

After submitting the transaction, verify that your validator was created: 
neutrond query staking validators --limit 1000 -o json | jq '.validators[] | select(.description.moniker=="<your-validator-name>")'
You can also check your validator status on Neutron block explorers:

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Security and Best Practices

Dedicated Machine

Run your validator on a dedicated machine separate from other services

Firewall Configuration

Allow only necessary ports (26656, 26657, etc.) and use SSH key authentication

Sentry Architecture

Deploy sentry nodes to protect your validator from DDoS attacks

Key Management

Consider using a hardware security module (HSM) for key management

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Monitoring Performance

Set up comprehensive monitoring to ensure your validator meets performance requirements:
  • Block signing rate (minimum 95%, target 99.5%)
  • Oracle price updates (minimum 95%, target 98%)
  • System resource utilization
  • Network connectivity
Popular monitoring solutions include:
  • Prometheus + Grafana
  • Cosmos Validator Monitoring
  • TenderDuty

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Maintaining Eligibility

To maintain your position in the validator set and remain eligible for DAO delegations:
  1. Stay Updated: Keep your node software updated to the latest version
  2. Active Upgrades: Participate promptly in network upgrades
  3. Community Participation: Join validator discussions and governance
  4. Performance Monitoring: Ensure you consistently meet or exceed performance thresholds
  5. Run a Testnet Node: Maintain an active testnet validator alongside your mainnet node