Introduction

Polymesh is built with Substrate, which is a framework and a set of modules for creating a blockchain. Substrate provides tools that offer low-level access to everything that happens on a Substrate network and these tools work with Polymesh.

The Polymesh Substrate App is such a tool. It is typically used by developers to explore the blockchain and transactions in depth.

Step 1: Import your account to the Polymesh Mainnet app

You can skip this step if you see your account in the Polymesh Mainnet app.

1. Open the Polymesh Mainnet app
2. If you don't see your account in the list, then click on "Stash" to add your stash account:
   
   Note: Think of the stash as your cold wallet and the controller as your hot wallet. Funding operations are controlled by the stash, and any other non-funding actions by the controller itself.

   To ensure optimal fund security using the same stash/controller is strongly discouraged, but not forbidden.

3. A pop-up window will appear to set up your stash account, the bonded value, and the payment destination.
   Select your Polymesh Mainnet account and enter the value you are about to bond in POLYX.
   You can find instructions on the right-hand side of the window.
   
   Note: The screenshot is on testnet where addresses and bonding duration are different from mainnet.
   Note: Count the maximum POLYX amount to be bonded as your total balance minus >10 POLYX. You may need the 10 POLYX to edit your stake, or unstake. If you stake your ENTIRE balance, i.e. leaving 0 POLYX in your wallet, you will not be able to perform transactions like editing your stake, or unstaking on the Polymesh dashboard afterwards.
4. Ensure that all information is correct. Click on "Bond", then "Sign and Submit" on the next window to sign this transaction with your wallet.
   

Please note: The accounts are stored only in your browser, so clearing the cache will also wipe your accounts. You would then have to recreate them using the seed phrase or a JSON file - this will also restore all your previously held balances.

Step 2: Set up staking

1. Navigate to the "Targets" tab in the Polymesh app.
2. In this tab, you can see the list of the validators with further information about staking like nominators count, total stake, own stake, return percentage, and more:
   

• Click in the checkbox (1) to select the validator(s) of your choice. You can select up to 16.
• If you click on the diagram icon (2), you can see further information about this specific validator.
• Tip: Click on the "Most profitable" button (3). This will select the most profitable operators of the current era.
• Tip: Use https://f-obrien.github.io/polymesh-staking-app/operator-charts as an additional reference and for further information about the validators and to see staking-related charts.

3. Once you selected all the validators of your choice, click on the "Nominate selected" button (4) to authorize the transaction.

4. A pop-up window will appear to nominate the selected validators. You can change your stash account here if you want to. Ensure that all information is correct, then click on "Nominate".

5. In order to finish setting up staking, click on "Sign and Submit", then sign the transaction with your wallet.

If you run into any issues, please open a support ticket on the Polymesh Community Portal.