Become a Validator

Help run the COGNITUM network and earn rewards. You set aside some COGN, and your computer helps confirm the network's transactions.

Start Here Easy Setup

Validators wanted

Earn rewards. Help run the network. Become a founding validator.

COGNITUM is in its early testnet, the best time to get involved. Apply now: early validators are first in line to help build the regional validator network as decentralization switches on.

See why it's worth it →

What you earn as a validator

The straight answer, all inside a fixed 1-billion-COGN supply, so no inflation dilutes your share:

💰Block rewards + fees

The protocol pays the block's producer 25 COGN plus that block's transaction fees, halving every 2 million blocks. Honest caveat: on today's single-operator testnet, block production isn't open to new validators yet, so this isn't income you earn by joining now. It becomes real as block production decentralizes.

📈Variable, not a fixed rate

Once block production opens up, earnings scale with how much of the network you actually run, there's no fixed APY, you earn from producing real blocks. That phase hasn't started yet, so treat block rewards as future income, not a joining bonus.

⚡Founding recognition at mainnet

Early, reliable validators are recorded now and rewarded via a genesis-airdrop snapshot when mainnet launches. Showing up early is what qualifies you.

🔒Fixed 1B supply, no inflation

COGN is permanently capped at 1 billion. New coins come only from the fixed block-reward schedule, nothing is printed to dilute your share.

Testnet reality: test COGN has no monetary value, and blocks are still produced by COGNITUM's own node, new validators do NOT earn block rewards yet. That opens as consensus decentralizes; until then, the mainnet founding airdrop is the real reward for showing up early. Live numbers: State of the Network.

Just want yield without running a node? Any COGN holder can stake for a governance-set target of up to ~6%/yr, a separate product from validating. Staking →

Today’s validator set is a bootstrap, not yet independent operators. We publish the real numbers on the State of the Network page.

Live Network Activity Around the World

Watch the network confirm blocks in real time. It runs on a small bootstrap validator set today, with independent operators being onboarded region by region.Latest confirmed block: #…

asia

open, join

europe

open, join

americas

open, join

africa

open, join

oceania

open, join

Worldwide

open, join

These counts come live from the network. The validator set is small and bootstrap-run for now, apply to help decentralize it and put your country on the map.

Your Application

No tech skills needed, about 2 minutes: pick a name, confirm your key, choose a region, set your stake, and submit.

Create a usernameStep 1 of 5

Create a username, lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens only

New to this or need setup help? Read the full validator guide →

Step 1: About Your Key

Your key is like a username and password that only you control. The public key is the username part, it's safe to share. The private key is the password part, keep it secret. Everything is created right here in your browser, so your private key never leaves your device.

Create one right here

Tap the 'Generate My Key' button in the form on the left. Your public key fills in automatically. Before you leave this page, copy and safely save the private key that appears, it's created entirely on your own device and is never sent anywhere.

Or use the Wallet page

Go to Wallet and choose 'Generate Key Pair'. Copy your public key, and save your private key somewhere safe and offline. Then come back here and paste the public key into the form.

Never create your key using an outside website or app, your private key should only ever exist on your own device.

Your private key is what signs everything you do. If you lose it, there's no way to get your validator back. Keep a copy in at least two separate, safe, offline places.

Setting Up a Server (You Can Skip This for Now)

You do NOT need a server just to apply. Applying registers your validator and stake, but on its own it does not start producing blocks. On the current testnet, blocks are produced by the core team's node; running your own validating node is onboarded by the team today, and a simpler self-serve setup is in the works. Leave the Server Address blank if you're only registering for now.

When you're ready for the live network, there are two ways to run your validator. Pick whichever suits you best:

Rent a Cloud ServerEasiest

About $40-55 / month

✓Nothing to buy, ready in minutes
✓Stays on 24/7, even when your own computer is off
✓The hosting company looks after the hardware
✓Best choice if you're new to this

Use Your Own ComputerMost independent

No monthly fee

✓A one-time cost instead of a monthly bill
✓You fully own and control your validator
✓Great if you have a spare PC or mini-PC that stays on
✓Everything stays in your own hands

Your computer must stay switched on and online all the time, and you'll adjust your home router so the network can reach it.

Setting up a cloud server, step by step:

Think of the Server Address as your validator's home address on the internet, it's how the network finds and connects to your computer. Here's how to set up a cloud server:

Rent an online server (about $40-55/month)

Go to DigitalOcean, Vultr, or Linode. Create an account and start a new server (they call it a "Droplet" or "VPS"). Pick Ubuntu 22.04 with 4 CPUs, 8 GB of RAM, and a 200 GB SSD. You'll get an address like 103.45.12.88, write it down.

Buy a domain name, optional (about $10-15/year)

This step is optional. Your node can connect with just its IP address and port (e.g. 203.0.113.5:8333). You only need a domain if you want the encrypted wss:// address: buy any domain at Namecheap or GoDaddy (e.g. myvalidator.com), then in its DNS settings add a record, Type = A, Name = node, Value = your server's IP, so node.myvalidator.com points to your server.

Get a free security certificate, optional

Only needed if you set up a domain in Step 2 (for the wss:// address). Connect to your server (your hosting company has a step-by-step guide), then run: sudo apt install certbot nginx -y and sudo certbot --nginx -d node.myvalidator.com, this gives you a free certificate so wss:// works. If you're using a bare IP, you can skip this.

Install the COGNITUM node (sent after approval)

The COGNITUM node isn't a public download. Once your application is approved, our team sends you the node package and setup instructions, you'll set PORT=8333 and start it, and we add your node to the network so it can sync and take part in consensus.

Your Server Address is ready, paste it here

It will look like this: wss://node.myvalidator.com:8333. Copy that and paste it into the Server Address field on the left.

Your finished Server Address will look like:

wss://node.myvalidator.com:8333

Using your own computer, step by step:

Use a computer (or a small always-on mini-PC) running Ubuntu that can stay on 24/7.

Buy a domain name and point it to your home internet address, the cloud steps above show how the domain settings work.

In your home router settings, forward port 8333 to that computer so the network can reach it.

Install the COGNITUM software and start it, the same as the last two cloud steps above.

Not sure where to begin? Ask the COGNITUM team for a recommended setup guide, we can walk you through the whole thing.

What Happens After You Apply

APPLIEDWe got your application, the team is reviewing it.

REJECTEDYour application wasn't approved this time. Reach out to the team if you have questions.

APPROVEDYou're approved! Lock in your COGN within 72 hours.

BONDINGA 24-hour setup period while your COGN is locked in and checked.

ACTIVEYou're live! Helping confirm the network's transactions and earning rewards.

EXITINGYou're leaving, your COGN unlocks after 21 days.

SLASHEDPenalized for breaking the rules, some or all of your COGN is lost.