How to Run a BULK Exchange Validator: Overview and Requirements

Running a BULK Exchange validator requires running the bulk-agave binary alongside an existing Solana validator. The two processes share identity keys and stake weight. BULK validators inherit Solana’s economic security and additionally earn 12.5% of BULK Exchange trading fees.

This page covers the technical requirements, the setup overview, and what to expect as a BULK validator operator.

Prerequisites

You must already be running a Solana validator. BULK Exchange is not a standalone network — it extends the Solana validator set. You cannot run a BULK validator without running a Solana validator first.

Requirements:

• Active Solana validator with meaningful stake
• Hardware meeting BULK Net requirements (roughly comparable to Solana validator hardware)
• Stable, high-bandwidth network connection
• Familiarity with Solana validator operations and maintenance

If you’re not already a Solana validator, becoming one is a significant infrastructure and capital commitment. Start with the official Solana validator documentation before proceeding.

How bulk-agave Works

The bulk-agave binary is BULK Exchange’s custom validator client. It:

Runs alongside the Agave/Solana validator on the same machine, using the same identity keypair. Both processes share:

• Ed25519 identity keys
• Stake weight (inherited from Solana stake delegation)
• Network identity

Participates in BULKBFT consensus — the leaderless BFT protocol for agreeing on the canonical transaction batch each round.

Executes the matching engine and risk engine — each validator runs the full deterministic CLOB independently and compares state hashes with peers.

Communicates with other BULK validators via the Noise Protocol authenticated channels.

The two processes (Agave and bulk-agave) communicate locally via IPC. You do not need to open additional public network ports for the relationship between them.

Setup Overview

Official BULK validator setup documentation is at docs.bulk.trade. This page summarizes the process; refer to official docs for the authoritative step-by-step instructions.

Step 1: Verify Solana validator is operational Your Solana validator should be stable, well-staked, and running on hardware meeting BULK Net requirements. A validator with minimal stake is eligible but earns proportionally less fee revenue.

Step 2: Install bulk-agave binary Download or build from source the bulk-agave binary for your operating system. The binary is open source — refer to the BULK Exchange GitHub or official documentation for the current release.

Step 3: Configure bulk-agave The bulk-agave binary uses configuration that references your Solana identity keypair and connects to the BULK Net validator network. Configuration covers:

• Identity keypair path (same as Solana validator)
• BULK Net seed nodes (for initial peer discovery)
• Ports for BULK Net communication

Step 4: Register with the BULK validator set New validators need to be recognized by the existing validator set. The registration process is documented on the BULK Exchange website and Discord.

Step 5: Start bulk-agave Run bulk-agave as a system service alongside your Solana validator. Monitor both processes with standard logging and alerting infrastructure.

Hardware Considerations

BULK Net execution is computationally distinct from standard Solana validation. Running both processes requires:

• Higher CPU allocation for the matching engine and risk calculations
• Additional memory for transaction pending set management
• Similar disk and network requirements to standard Solana validation

BULK Exchange does not publish minimum hardware specifications publicly. Contact the BULK Exchange team via Discord for current validator infrastructure recommendations.

What Validators Earn

1. Standard Solana staking rewards (~7% APY on staked SOL)
2. MEV tips (~1.5–2.5% APY)
3. 12.5% of all BULK Exchange trading fees — the unique BULK income stream
4. Expected BULK token allocation

See the validator rewards guide for the revenue projections at various volume levels.

Support

BULK Exchange validator support:

• Discord: discord.gg/bulk — validator-specific channels
• Documentation: docs.bulk.trade
• GitHub: BULK Exchange GitHub organization

Last updated: June 13, 2026. Validator setup documentation evolves with BULK Exchange development. Always refer to docs.bulk.trade for the current instructions.