🛑Exiting the Validator Node

Important Considerations Before Exiting

• Irreversibility: Once a validator is exited, it cannot be reactivated. To resume staking, you'd need to generate new validator keys and initiate the staking process anew.

• Withdrawal Credentials: Ensure your validator's withdrawal credentials are set to type 0x01. This setting is necessary for automatic withdrawals. If your credentials are of type 0x00 (BLS), you'll need to update them before exiting.

Steps to Initiate a Voluntary Exit

1. Access the Validator Container

First, identify and access your validator container using Docker:

docker exec -it $(docker ps --filter "name=validator" --format "{{.Names}}") bash

This command opens an interactive shell within the validator container.

1. Execute the Voluntary Exit Command

Within the container, run the following command to initiate the voluntary exit:

lighthouse account validator exit --keystore /validator_keys --beacon-node http://beacon:5052

Upon execution, you'll be prompted to enter the password associated with your keystore. After successful authentication, the voluntary exit message will be broadcasted to the network.

Verifying the Exit Status

To monitor the status of your validator's exit, you can use beacon.blocxscan.com

1. Navigate to https://beacon.blocxscan.com/.

2. Enter your validator's public key or index in the search bar.

3. Review the validator's status to confirm the exit process.