> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.qie.digital/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.qie.digital/how-to-become-a-validator-on-qie-v3/8.-register-your-validator.md).

# 🏁 8. Register Your Validator

### 🔍 Step 1: Get the Correct Public Key (for Validator)

Validators use a special **Cosmos-based public key** (not EVM key). To get it:

```bash
qied tendermint show-validator --home "$HOME/.qieMainnetNode"
```

Copy the output — it should look like this:

```json
{"@type":"/cosmos.crypto.ed25519.PubKey","key":"LaUx9x1Nlj4t9Yy5ybFJR55/7kCK8eGn8JlY/mBewuU="}
```

✅ **Keep this key safe** — you’ll need it in the next step.

### 📄 Step 2: Create a Validator Configuration File

Now create a file named `validator.json` in your terminal ( $HOME/.qieMainnetNode):

```json
{
  "pubkey": <paste here your generated public key step no 1> ,
  "amount": "10000000000000000000000aqie", 
  "moniker": "<Name your validator>",
  "identity": "<optional>",
  "website": "<your project website -if any>",
  "security": "",
  "details": "<Details about the validator>",
  "commission-rate": "0.1",
  "commission-max-rate": "0.2",
  "commission-max-change-rate": "0.01",
  "min-self-delegation": "1000"
}
```

📌 **What this means**:<br>

* **pubkey** – Your validator's consensus public key (used for block signing).
* **amount** – The amount you are staking as a validator.
* **moniker** – The name of your validator (shown in explorers).
* **identity** – (Optional) Keybase ID for validator identity verification.
* **website** – Your validator or project website (optional).
* **security** – Contact info for reporting security issues (optional).
* **details** – A short description of your validator.
* **commission-rate** – The percentage you charge delegators from their rewards.
* **commission-max-rate** – The highest commission you can ever charge.
* **commission-max-change-rate** – The max commission change allowed per day.
* **min-self-delegation** – Minimum coins you must stake to stay active.

### 🚀 Step 3: Submit the Validator Transaction

Now you’ll officially become a validator by submitting the transaction:

```bash
qied tx staking create-validator ./validator.json \
--from validator \
--chain-id qie_1990-1 \
--home "$HOME/.qieMainnetNode" \
--node "tcp://localhost:26657" \
--gas auto \
--gas-adjustment 1.5 \
--gas-prices 10000000000aqie 
```

* This transaction will prompt you for your wallet password, which you set during wallet creation.

📌 **What this does**:\
It tells the network: “I want to become a validator using this wallet and stake.”

***