ETH staking - BYOK (Bring Your Own Keys)

Overview

This chapter explains how to submit an Ethereum (ETH) staking order using a pre-generated validator key. Users who have already generated an Ethereum validator key and wish to use it for staking can follow this process to create a new staking order through the Northstake API.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure that you have:

• A pre-generated Ethereum validator key.
• The Northstake API client set up in your project.

Steps to Submit a Staking Order with a Validator Key

1. Import the API Client

First, import the Northstake API client and configure it with your API and private keys:

import { NorthstakeApi, Order } from '@northstake/northstakeapi';
const api = new NorthstakeApi('apiKey', 'privateKey');

2. Read the Validator Key

Read your pre-generated validator key from a JSON file:

const validatorKey = JSON.parse(readFileSync('path/to/validator/key.json', 'utf8'));  

3. Create a Staking Order with the Validator Key

Construct the staking order using the validator key:

const stakingOrder: Order = {  
  orderType: 'stake',  
  asset: 'ETH',  
  validatorKey: validatorKey,  
};  

4. Submit the Staking Order

Submit the staking order to the Northstake API:

const { body: result } = await api.orders.createNewOrder(stakingOrder);  

👍

More users? No problems

Staking partners may of course also submit BYOK eth staking orders on behalf of their managed users.

📘

Validator Key Structure

The structure of the validatorKey.json should match the standard Ethereum validator key format:

JSON

{  
  "validatorKey": {
"keystore": {  
 "crypto": {  
   "kdf": {  
     "function": "string",  
     "params": {  
       "dklen": 0,  
       "n": 0,  
       "r": 0,  
       "p": 0,  
       "salt": "string"  
     },  
     "message": "string"  
   },  
   "checksum": {  
     "function": "string",  
     "params": {},  
     "message": "string"  
   },  
   "cipher": {  
     "function": "string",  
     "params": {  
       "iv": "string"  
     },  
     "message": "string"  
   }  
 },  
 "description": "string",  
 "pubkey": "string",  
 "path": "string",  
 "uuid": "string",  
 "version": 0  
},  
"password": "string",  
"enable": true  
}
}

Additional Resources

• Ethereum Launchpad: Official resource for generating Ethereum validator keys and understanding the staking process.
• Ethereum Staking Guide: Comprehensive guide on how Ethereum staking works.
• Understanding Ethereum Validator Keys: Detailed information on the role and management of validator keys in Ethereum.
• This recipe show a step-by-step example of how to use the Northstake SDK to submit a BYOK eth staking order:

Conclusion

Using a pre-generated validator key allows users to directly stake ETH through the Northstake API. Ensure your validator key meets all required security and operational standards before submission.