# Overview (https://docs.axelar.dev/infrastructure/validators)



An Axelar network validator participates in block creation, multi-party cryptography protocols, and voting.

Convert your existing Axelar node into a validator by running the companion processes and staking AXL tokens. Once it is running, your validator can also [verify consensus chains](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/infrastructure/verifiers/consensus-chains/content.md).

## Prerequisites [#prerequisites]

* **Hardware:** Minimum: 16 cores, 16GB RAM, 1.5 TB drive. Recommended: 32 cores, 32 GB RAM, 2 TB+ drive.
* A fully synced Axelar node (see [Sync a node](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/infrastructure/node/sync/content.md)), and familiarity with [Basic node management](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/infrastructure/node/basic/content.md).

## Steps to become a validator [#steps-to-become-a-validator]

1. [Set up vald and tofnd](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/infrastructure/validators/setup/vald-tofnd/content.md): install the companion processes, create your accounts and keys, and launch them.
2. [Register and stake](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/infrastructure/validators/setup/register-and-stake/content.md): register your broadcaster account and stake AXL.
3. [Run a health check](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/infrastructure/validators/operations/health-check/content.md).
4. Optionally, [verify consensus chains](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/infrastructure/verifiers/consensus-chains/content.md) to earn additional rewards.

Prefer to set everything up by hand, or recovering a validator from its mnemonic and keys? See [Manual setup](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/infrastructure/validators/setup/manual/content.md).

If something goes wrong, see [Troubleshooting](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/infrastructure/validators/troubleshooting/content.md). To stop being a validator, see [Leave the network](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/infrastructure/validators/operations/leave/content.md).


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