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Update Operators

Collusion risk

Do not replace more than 2 operators in the same validator flow unless you fully understand the risk. Existing shares remain valid as long as the signing threshold is met. Such a limit reduces the chance of unsafe overlap between old and new operator sets.

The correct procedure depends on what validator files you still have:

If you are unsure about any step, ask in the SSV Network Discord.

You have the validator keystore​

Use this path if you still have the validator keystore-*.json file and access to the owner wallet used for registration in SSV Network.

Procedure​

  1. Confirm that you have the correct keystore file for the validator you want to move. In the JSON file, look for the validator pubkey to confirm.
  2. Remove the validator from the current cluster.
  3. Generate new key shares for the new operator set.
  4. Register the validator again by following the onboarding flow for staking providers or solo stakers.
Sequence matters

This is a remove-and-register flow. You can generate new keyshares as the first step, but do not register the validator into the new cluster until you removed the validator.

You have DKG artifacts​

Use this path if the validator was created through DKG and you still have the ceremony output, specifically proofs.json.

Before you start​

If you have several ceremony folders, open each candidate proofs.json file and confirm the validator public key at the start of the file.

Upload the correct proofs.json

The Web App does not verify that the uploaded proofs.json belongs to the validator you selected. Uploading the wrong file can lead you through the wrong reshare flow. Verify the validator public key before you upload anything.

Procedure​

  1. Open your clusters in the Web App.
  2. Select the cluster that contains the validator.
Select a cluster
  1. Start the reshare flow:
    • For the whole cluster, click Actions → Reshare.
    • For one validator, use Reshare on that validator row.
Start cluster reshare
Start validator reshare
  1. Upload the correct proofs.json file.
Upload proofs file
  1. Select the new operators, and click Next.
Choose new operators
  1. Sign the ownership message in your wallet. This signature does not cost gas.
Sign ownership message

  1. Run the reshare command exactly as shown in the Web App. Run it from a directory that contains the proofs.json file you uploaded.

    To avoid mixing old and new artifacts, it is safer to copy the original proofs.json into a separate working directory first. The command creates a new ceremony-... output folder there.

Run reshare command

  1. After the command finishes successfully, click DKG Ceremony initiated.

  2. Remove the validator or validators from the current cluster.

    The Web App opens a separate tab for the removal flow. Complete the removal transaction there, then come back and click My Validator Has Been Removed.

Remove validators

  1. Register the validator again. Upload the keyshares.json file from the newly created ceremony-... folder.

    If the page does not load correctly after you click Back, continue with Register Validators or the solo-staker flow at Validator Registration.

Register new keyshares
  1. Review the new cluster summary. Fund the cluster if needed, and sign the registration transaction.
Do not upload the old keyshares.json

Use the keyshares.json from the new ceremony output only. Uploading the old file will not register the validator with the updated operator set.

You have neither​

If you no longer have the keystore and you also do not have the DKG artifacts, you cannot safely update the operator set in place.

Your remaining option is to offboard the validator, assuming you control the withdrawal address.

After the validator exits and you recover the ETH, generate a new validator, store the required files securely, and onboard it again with the operator set you want.