The Interfold / Ciphernode Operator Guide
How-to guide

Register and activate a ciphernode operator

Use this after the node software is already running. The objective is specific: establish the onchain operator position and reach Active status.

Network Alpha: public operator participation is opening in stages. The current operator docs say bonding, registration, and ticket collateral can proceed while mainnet E3 requests are paused. Confirm the current participation status before committing capital.

Before you transact

Interfold supports one-wallet and two-wallet setups. The safer production pattern separates the hot operator key from the bond owner. The operator runs the node; the bond owner controls FOLD, ticket collateral, exits, and position lifecycle.

Interfold explicitly recommends a separate cold wallet or Safe for the bond owner so the online node does not hold the key that controls collateral.

1. Inspect current status

interfold ciphernode status --chain mainnet

Confirm the operator address, bond owner, registration state, active state, ticket balance, bond balance, and pending exits before changing anything.

2. Authorize the bond owner

interfold ciphernode set-bond-owner --owner 0xBOND_OWNER --chain mainnet

This initial authorization comes from the operator key. Once the position is funded or registered, owner rotation uses a proposal-and-accept flow.

3. Bond FOLD from the owner wallet

Mainnet currently requires a full 32,000 FOLD bond to register. Treat that number as a live protocol parameter and verify it before signing.

interfold --config /path/to/owner.yaml ciphernode bond \
  --operator 0xOPERATOR bond --amount 32000

4. Register the operator

interfold --config /path/to/owner.yaml ciphernode register \
  --operator 0xOPERATOR

Registration adds the operator to the ciphernode registry, but registration alone does not necessarily make it active.

5. Add ticket collateral

Mainnet currently uses sUSDS shares as ticket collateral. One available ticket requires 1,000 sUSDS shares at the current ticket price.

interfold --config /path/to/owner.yaml ciphernode tickets \
  --operator 0xOPERATOR buy --amount 1000
availableTickets = floor(ticketTokenBalance / ticketPrice)

6. Verify Active: true

interfold ciphernode status --chain mainnet

The target output shows Registered: true, Active: true, Exit pending: false, at least one available ticket, and the full required bond.

The state machine to remember

A ciphernode progresses from unbonded to bonded, registered, and active. It can become inactive if requirements are no longer met or enter exit pending after deregistration. Slashing is a policy event, not a lifecycle state.
  1. UnbondedNo ciphernode bond; cannot register.
  2. BondedFull FOLD position established, but not registered.
  3. RegisteredIn the registry, but not yet ticket-eligible.
  4. ActiveEligible to participate in committee sortition.
InactiveRegistered, but below current bond or ticket requirements.
ExitPendingDeregistered; collateral remains queued until the exit delay passes.
Slashing eventMay penalize collateral, affect committee duty, deactivate, or ban.

Slashing is shown separately because it is an event governed by the active slash policy, not an ordinary registry state. A penalty may reduce tickets or bond, remove the node from committee duty, make it inactive, or ban it.

After activation

Primary sources

Registration sequence and current mainnet thresholds checked against Interfold’s operator documentation on 3 Sep 2026. Verify live values, participation status, and the active slash policy before signing.