# Register Calidus Key

Updated: 1/18/26 

***

{% hint style="info" %}
Credit to  <img src="https://earncoinpool.com/images/coin_v3.png" alt="" data-size="line"> [Earn Coin Pool](https://earncoinpool.com/) for documenting the procedure.\
\
Credit to Martin Lang (ATADA)<img src="/files/iXkEvpV0SN7CAO8LZepF" alt="" data-size="line"> and his video here which this guide is based off of.\
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTDigkYZXEQ>\
\
More information by Martin Lang on Calidus Pool Key here: <https://forum.cardano.org/t/new-calidus-pool-key-for-spos-and-services-interacting-with-pools/143812/>
{% endhint %}

***

There are basically **3** main things we need to do in order to register our Calidus Key on mainnet: <br>

{% stepper %}
{% step %}
Install Cardano-Signer on air gapped machine to generate keys.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
Generate new Calidus Key files and generate metadata.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
Use Eternl to Submit transaction for Calidus Registration to the blockchain using signed metadata
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

***

## Before we get started

{% hint style="success" %}
**Good to know:** The commands were tested with cardano-signer 1.34.0.
{% endhint %}

## Step 1 - Copy Cardano-Signer 1.34.0 File to USB

For this guide we will be downloading `cardano-signer-1.34.0_linux-x64.tar.gz`.&#x20;

Using the Cardano-Signer repo we can download the file here:

<https://github.com/gitmachtl/cardano-signer/releases/tag/v1.34.0>

<figure><img src="/files/ODTBEQHPExqoYDyGi4bJ" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="info" %}
For other distributions download files can be found here: <https://github.com/gitmachtl/cardano-signer/releases>
{% endhint %}

***

## Step 2 - Copy Cardano-Signer File to Air Gapped Machine

Copy `cardano-signer-1.34.0_linux-x64.tar.gz` file to air gapped machine.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Extract Cardano-Signer somewhere in the PATH (in /usr/local/bin or where cardano-cli is) on your air gapped machine.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}
For this guide we copied the .tar.gz file to our `bin` folder
{% endhint %}

## Step 3 - Install Cardano-Signer

{% hint style="danger" %}
**ON Air Gapped Machine**
{% endhint %}

To Install run the following commands:

{% hint style="warning" %}
Adjust path to your `bin` folder or where you put the cardano-signer file
{% endhint %}

<pre><code><strong>cd bin
</strong>tar -xzvf cardano-signer-1.34.0_linux-x64.tar.gz
</code></pre>

To check if successful, run:

```
cardano-signer version
```

***

## Step 4 - Generate Calidus Key

{% hint style="danger" %}
**ON Air Gapped Machine**
{% endhint %}

We will now use `cardano-signer` to generate Calidus Key files; we will generate them in our `$NODE_HOME` folder:&#x20;

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="On Air Gapped Machine" %}
To generate the files, run:

```
cd $NODE_HOME
cardano-signer keygen \
 --path calidus \
 --out-skey my.calidus.skey \
 --out-vkey my.calidus.vkey \
 --out-id my.calidus.id \
 --out-mnemonics my.calidus.mnemonics \
 --json-extended
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

## Step 5 - Generate the registration metadata signed by your pool cold key

In order to submit a transaction to the blockchain so indexers can pick up our Calidus Key we need to create metadata that we can submit on-chain with Eternl through an internal transaction.

{% hint style="danger" %}
**ON Air Gapped Machine**
{% endhint %}

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="On Air Gapped Machine" %}
**1)** First let's unlock our cold keys:&#x20;

```
chmod u+rwx $HOME/cold-keys
```

&#x20;

**2)** Generate the registration metadata and sign it

{% hint style="warning" %}
Adjust path and file named if needed to your cold skey\
\
For this example, our cold key is located in our $HOME cold-keys folder.
{% endhint %}

```
cd $NODE_HOME
cardano-signer sign --cip88 \
 --calidus-public-key my.calidus.vkey \
 --secret-key $HOME/cold-keys/node.skey \
 --json \
 --out-file calidus-registration-metadata.json
```

**3)** 📝Copy Metadata to a file on your USB to use later on Eternl in hot environment&#x20;

```
cat calidus-registration-metadata.json
```

📝Copy Metadata to a file on your USB

<figure><img src="/files/nGaZ0c8JTtDCYbLUdLn1" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

&#x20;

**4)** Lock your cold keys:

```
chmod a-rwx $HOME/cold-keys
```

&#x20;&#x20;
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

***

## Step 6 - Copy mnemonics to use later&#x20;

Before we leave Air-Gapped machine let's copy our mnemonic phrase to use later. We will input this into a hot wallet like Eternl for future use when we want to sign something or vote with our Calidus Key

{% hint style="danger" %}
**ON Air Gapped Machine**
{% endhint %}

```
cd $HOME_NODE
cat my.calidus.mnemonics
```

📝Copy to a file on your USB to use later in hot environment.

<div align="left"><figure><img src="/files/zDpsystfGyUpLUfXzKDt" alt="" width="188"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

{% hint style="info" %}
Other information we can look at in our $HOME\_NODE folder:\
\
`cat my.calidus.id`\
or

`cat my.calidus.vkey`

or

`cat my.calidus.skey`
{% endhint %}

***

## Step 7 - Submit Internal Transaction on Eternl

Now we can use any Eternl wallet that we own to submit an internal transaction with the metadata we copied from [Step 5](#step-5-generate-the-registration-metadata-signed-by-your-pool-cold-key).<br>

***

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Open Eternl and copy your receive address from the Receive tab

<figure><img src="/files/rq860I44vGc39yJAzUJY" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Go to send tab and paste your receive address

<figure><img src="/files/ANRhTFPgtUcNyhrzlWzo" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Make sure under settings that you are in Pro Mode

<figure><img src="/files/2eDpaJQl8kX8Qr7XvXVE" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Select the pencil icon to add custom metadata

<figure><img src="/files/uSAKM0whWJqJvvPRffLF" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Select Basic Conversions

<figure><img src="/files/Kz2hRmqfldXUrwLrjrX4" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### 📝Paste your Metadata

✅Paste your metadata from [Step 5](#step-5-generate-the-registration-metadata-signed-by-your-pool-cold-key) and then click close.

<figure><img src="/files/SgceoZRObOqgBAatmgCz" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Add ADA to send to yourself

For this example, we sent 2 ADA to ourselves

<figure><img src="/files/jolCQ9AJfy8uin8lDcJ1" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Sign and Submit Transaction

Double check that it is an internal transfer with `Meta` and then sign and submit.

<figure><img src="/files/glPCRLthQQ9LWQosNpov" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

***

### Step 8 - Verify your Calidus Key is active

You can use [adastat](https://adastat.net/) to verify that your Calidus Key is registered, go to [adastat](https://adastat.net/) and search for your pool and go to your pool page. You should now see your Calidus Key 🥳

<figure><img src="/files/UOeTP3dK34MMv2P1qHyH" alt=""><figcaption><p>Calidus Key on adastat.net</p></figcaption></figure>

#### Congratulations you did it! You Now have a Calidus Key

***

> ## 🤔 Now that you registered your Calidus Key, how can you use your Calidus Key to vote?
>
> Now that we have our Calidus Key registered, we can use our mnemonic to create a new wallet in Eternl just for our Calidus Key. This wallet then can be used for things like voting on Ekklesia ballots. Steps below 👇

## Create Calidus Key Wallet using mnemonic

Now that we have our Calidus Key registered, we can use our mnemonic to create a new wallet in Eternl just for our Calidus Key. This wallet then can be used for things like voting on Ekklesia ballots.

***

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Click on your current wallet

<figure><img src="/files/dhFQ3nWbon25Qrnk5b4H" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Click on Add Wallet

The "Switch Between Wallets" overlay should pop-up, select `Add wallet`

<figure><img src="/files/h7U7EdNf6LnYBJChfeui" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Select "Enter a Seed-Phrase"

<figure><img src="/files/1Man4L3keLBMePa5pCXf" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Click 24-word phrase

<figure><img src="/files/dUFtC1JmXqs0Q6Zz5DSc" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Enter mnemonic

Enter your mnemonic from [Step 6](#step-6-copy-mnemonics-to-use-later) above

<div align="left"><figure><img src="/files/tnJ2cVQA1ewVN84butnV" alt="" width="375"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Name Your New Wallet

We recommend using a name so you can remember this is your Calidus Key only wallet.

<figure><img src="/files/0UqHlAX8YPjzVATQMdjn" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Add Spending Password

&#x20;📝Make sure to write this down and keep it safe 😉

<div align="left"><figure><img src="/files/lPtCXjtcKlz4VYeoXQEU" alt="" width="563"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Fund Your New Wallet&#x20;

Fund your wallet with very small amount of ADA, maybe 10 ADA, to cover any possible transactions that might be needed

<figure><img src="/files/gpdzZNtSu9mE4ntENfhc" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

{% hint style="danger" %}
Remember if you think this Calidus Key wallet has been compromised you can always use the steps above to generate a new Calidus Key and submit the registration on-chain with an internal transaction.<br>
{% endhint %}

***

## Congratulations you did it!&#x20;

***

## Contributors&#x20;

Thanks to the following pools for helping to put together these guides. Please consider delegating to their pools to support them.  Are you a pool? Consider buying them a coffee

![](https://img.cexplorer.io/7/e/1/9/f/pool16cdtqyk0fvxzfkhjg3esjcuty4tnlpds5lj0lkmqmwdjyzaj7p8.png)  [Earn Coin Pool - Ticker: ECP](https://cexplorer.io/pool/pool16cdtqyk0fvxzfkhjg3esjcuty4tnlpds5lj0lkmqmwdjyzaj7p8)

![xSPO Alliance Logo](/files/padJ7At3xT4SVIbnghK3) [xSPO Alliance](http://xspo-alliance.org/discord)


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