Validator FAQ

Index	Question	Answer
1	Staking Network	EverChain (EC)
2	Staking Token	ID
3	Validator - Staking Parameters Max Validator Count Validator Stake & Rewards Delegator Redelegate frequency	Mainnet 21 active signers, up to 100 validators Testnet 11 signers, up to 100 validators Mainnet Minimum Self-delegate Amount: 400,000ID Reward Frequency: weekly at 0:00 UTC Sunday Unstaking Period: 4 weeks un-bonding Testnet Minimum Self-delegate Amount: 1,000ID on testnet. Reward frequency: every 3 hours Unstaking Period: 7 hours un-bonding Mainnet 7 days Testnet 4 hours
4	Validator - What does a validator node do?	It powers the blockchain network by processing transactions and signing blocks.
5	Validator - What are the incentives to run a validator node?	Validators and delegators earn rewards from transaction fees driven by network usage
6	Validator - What's an Identity Network Proposal?	Proposals will decide: pricing in ID tokens, fees charged, validator allocation, and burning allocation.
7	Validator - How to join as a validator?	Mainnet: Choose your server/PC & Install software Create an EverWallet and get some ID Run your fullnode and keep it synced Stake your ID, submit your address to the Validator Node Registration form, the top 21 most staked nodes will be chosen as signers. Testnet: Choose your server/PC & Install software Create an EverWallet and get some ID Run your fullnode and keep it synced Stake your ID, the top 11 most staked nodes will be chosen as signers.
8	Validator - What are hardware requirements of running a validator node?	Processing transactions is mostly CPU bound. Therefore we recommend running CPU optimized servers. Directly facing internet (public IP, no NAT) 8 cores CPU 16GB of RAM 500 SSD storage
9	Validator - How many ID are required to create a validator?	400,000ID Validators can self-delegate, meaning they can delegate ID to themselves, and they can also receive delegations from other holders or the Validator Pool.
10	Validator - When are rewards paid out?	The rewards will not be sent to validator right away, instead, they will be distributed and accumulated on a contract. The reward distribution happen weekly Sunday at 00:00 GMT.
11	Validator - Does an inactive validator receive any rewards?	No, they will not.
12	Validator - What is 'self-delegation'? How can I increase my 'self-delegation'?	Self-delegation is delegation from a validator to themselves. This amount can be increased by creating an additional stake in the validator's operator address.
13	Validator - How are the 21 Signers selected from the Validator nodes?	The 21 Validators who sign blocks are randomly chosen every 24 hours from the pool of 100 Validators. Those Validator nodes not online for the entirety of the previous hour prior to the cutover will not be eligible to be chosen for the 21 signers.Every 24 hours the validator pool will randomly select from the 100 validator nodes and choose 21 active validators. Every seven days the validator pool will be selected as the top 100 validator candidates based on the amount of ID staked.
14	Validator - How do I Register as a Validator candidate with the EF?	Mainnet https://forms.gle/xjwPcSyumkwVsKUM8 Testnet https://forms.gle/b5QvKgdYcA28frRu6
14	Validator & Delegator - Can I receive my staking rewards if my chosen validator is inactive?	No, you cannot.
15	Validator & Delegator - When can I receive my unstaked ID?	After you sent undelegate transaction, you have to wait 4 weeks. This period starts at UTC 00:00 the day after your undelegate transaction.
16	Delegator – What's the role of a Delegator on EverChain?	A delegator can delegate its ID to a chosen Validator or the Validator Pool to participate in the consensus of the network, help secure the network, and earn rewards for that work.
17	Delegator – How to delegate my ID?	Please download and use the EverWallet from Everest available here: https://wallet.everest.org
18	Delegator – How to undelegate my ID?	Delegates and validators themselves may choose to Unstake their ID for a variety of reasons. It is important to note that these ID are subject to what is known as the Unstaking Time, an on-chain parameterized period of time upon which all delegates, including validators, must wait for their ID to become fully Unstaked. In addition, these ID are still subject to be potentially slashed upon commitment of any byzantine behavior. The UnstakingTime ensures a variety of security measures in the network, such as accounting for network synchronization, limiting the duration of certain types of attacks, and solving the “nothing-at-stake” problem.
19	Delegator – EC UnstakingTime	Mainnet 4 weeks Testnet 7 hours
20	Delegator – How do I redelegate my ID?	Redelegations between a unique Delegator, Validator or Validator Pool can only happen once every UnstakingTime
21	Delegator – How many tokens are required to stake on EverChain to be a delegator?	Any amount of ID
22	Delegator – How to claim my rewards?	The rewards will be distributed to every delegators from the ecvalidator smart contract every week.
23	Delegator – When can I receive my staking rewards?	Since validatorset info is updated every week at UTC 00:00 Sunday, to make some room for the error handling, we distribute the fees of week W-1 in the next block (week N+1). Thus, after you sent delegate transaction, you will receive your first staking rewards the second Sunday at UTC 00:00. Afterwards, you will receive your rewards every week at UTC 00:00 Sunday.
24	Delegator – When can I receive my undelegated ID?	Since Unstaking Period is 4 weeks. Thus, after you sent undelegate transaction, your staked ID will not receive any rewards until the next UTC 00:00. After 31 days start from the next UTC 00:00, you will receive your ID.
25	Delegator – Can a validator run away with their delegators' ID?	By delegating to a validator, a user delegates voting power. This does not mean that the validator has custody of their delegators' ID. By no means can a validator run away with its delegator's funds.