FLR-898: Adding staking guide for the Flare Portal

docs/user/staking/index.md

@@ -3,17 +3,26 @@
 This section contains information about staking Flare assets on [validators](../../tech/validators.md) and receiving rewards earned from your stake.
 
 * [Using FlareStake to Stake](./staking-flarestake.md)
+* [Using the Flare Portal to Stake](./staking-portal.md)
 * [Using the Command Line to Stake](./staking-cli.md)
 
 ## Lists of Validators
 
-Use any of the following tools to obtain the latest list of validators and their stats:
+Use any of the following tools to obtain the latest list of validators and analyze their statistics:
 
 * [FlareMetrics](https://flaremetrics.io/validators)
 * [Flarescan](http://flarescan.com/validators)
 * [flare.builders](https://www.flare.builders/validators)
 * [SolidiFi](https://solidifi.app/validators)
 
+!!! info "Conditions for Choosing Profitable Validators"
+
+    As you analyze validator statistics, remember that you will earn staking rewards in the current validation reward period only when the following conditions are met:
+
+      * Your chosen validator is running an FTSO data provider
+      * Your chosen validator is running an FTSO data provider that has earned any [FTSO rewards](../../tech/ftso.md#rewards) during the four FTSO reward epochs inside the current validation reward period
+      * Your chosen validator is operational at least 80% of the time
+
 ## Limits
 
 The amount that you can stake and the rewards you can gain by staking are restricted by these limits:

docs/user/staking/staking-cli.md

@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ If you already know how staking on validators works on the Flare network, skip t
 
 Staking works by locking funds for a period of time to support a specific [network validator](../../tech/validators.md).
 When validator owners stake to their own nodes they _self-bond_, whereas all other participants are said to _delegate_ their stake to that validator.
+Note that delegating your stake to a validator is different from [FTSO delegation](../../tech/ftso.md/#delegation).
 
 Participants choose how much to stake and for how long their stake will be locked.
 The minimum values are:
@@ -287,7 +288,13 @@ To stake on a validator node, you need to:
 
     * The **node ID** of the validator you want to stake to.
 
-        If you created the validator, its `nodeID` was shown to you during the [deployment process](../../infra/observation/deploying.md).
+        If you created the validator, retrieve its node ID by running:
+
+        ```
+        curl --location 'http://localhost:9650/ext/info' \
+        --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
+        --data '{ "jsonrpc":"2.0", "id":1, "method":"info.getNodeID" }'
+        ```
 
         If you want to stake to somebody else's validator, you can:
 

docs/user/staking/staking-flarestake.md

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ title: Using FlareStake
 
 Staking works by locking funds for a period of time to support a specific [network validator](../../tech/validators.md).
 When validator owners stake to their own nodes they _self-bond_, whereas all other participants are said to _delegate_ their stake to that validator.
+Note that delegating your stake to a validator is different from [FTSO delegation](../../tech/ftso.md/#delegation).
 
 !!! note
 
@@ -96,12 +97,6 @@ You can now continue to the [Staking Guide](#staking-guide) or the [Reward Claim
 
 ## Staking Guide
 
-To stake on a validator node, you need to:
-
-1. Bind your C-chain and P-chain addresses.
-2. Move your funds from the C-chain to the P-chain.
-3. Stake them on a validator.
-
 ### 1. Binding Your Addresses
 
 To receive your staking rewards, you must bind your P-chain address to your C-chain address.

docs/user/staking/staking-portal.md

@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+---
+title: Using the Flare Portal
+---
+
+# Using the Flare Portal to Stake
+
+The [Flare Portal](https://portal.flare.network/) is a dapp developed by Flare Network that enables you to earn rewards by staking your `$FLR` in your MetaMask wallet to validators on the Flare network.
+
+Alternatively, you can use the [FlareStake command-line interface](./staking-cli.md) or the [FlareStake, the GUI tool for staking](./staking-flarestake.md) to stake.
+
+Staking works by locking funds for a period of time to support a specific [network validator](../../tech/validators.md).
+When validator owners stake to their own nodes they _self-bond_, whereas all other participants are said to _delegate_ their stake to that validator.
+Note that delegating your stake to a validator is different from [FTSO delegation](../../tech/ftso.md/#delegation).
+
+!!! note
+
+    Proof of stake is being implemented on Flare in phases.
+    Ensure that you have read the [Validators page](../../tech/validators.md#deployment-phases) to learn about them.
+
+Participants choose how much to stake and for how long their stake will be locked.
+The minimum values are:
+{ #minimum-values }
+
+|                  | Self-bond | Delegation |
+| ---------------- | --------: | ---------: |
+| Minimum amount   | 1M `$FLR` | 50K `$FLR` |
+| Minimum duration |   60 days |    14 days |
+
+At the end of every [reward epoch](../../tech/ftso.md#reward-epoch), participants are rewarded according to how well their chosen validator performed in that period.
+
+!!! info "Staking limits"
+
+    When you choose your validator and amount to stake, consider the [delegation factor and the staking cap](./index.md#limits).
+
+    You can stake to any number of validators, but [rewards](./staking-flarestake.md#reward-claiming-guide), [FlareDrops](../../tech/the-flaredrop.md), and [governance vote power](../../tech/governance.md#the-vote-count-block) only apply for up to 3 different validators.
+
+The [deployment phases summary](../../tech/validators.md#summary) shows other rewards that staked funds can still earn while they are locked.
+
+Given that the Flare network uses two [independent underlying chains](../../tech/flare.md#flare-chains), there is one extra step that must be considered.
+Funds must be transferred from the C-chain, where smart contracts run, to the P-chain, where staking happens.
+After the staking period expires and funds are unlocked, they can be transferred back to the C-chain.
+
+## Staking Guide for MetaMask
+
+If you do not have MetaMask installed, follow the [MetaMask guide](../wallets/how-to-access-flare-network-with-metamask.md) to set it up to manage Flare assets.
+
+### 1. Enable Your Staking Account
+
+[Flare uses two chains](../../tech/flare.md/#flare-chains), the C-chain and the P-chain.
+Staking is done on the P-chain, so you need an account on this chain to serve as your staking account.
+Establishing this account costs only the transaction fee.
+
+1. Open the [Flare Portal](https://portal.flare.network/), and click **Staking** in the top navigation bar.
+2. Check for your staking address, which is an address on the [P-chain](../../tech/flare.md/#flare-chains), in the middle of the Staking window.
+   If your staking address is already displayed, go to [Step 2](#2-enable-eth_sign-requests).
+   Otherwise, continue to enable your staking account.
+3. Click **Enable** beside the **Staking address** field.
+   The **Enable staking account** window prompts you to verify the transaction before you complete it in MetaMask.
+   You do not need to verify it, and you can close the window.
+4. In the open MetaMask window, click **Confirm** to complete the transaction to enable the account.
+   Your new staking address is displayed in the middle of the **Staking information** window.
+
+### 2. Enable **Eth_sign requests**
+
+The transactions to stake your `$FLR` require a form of blind signing.
+
+When you blind sign a transaction, the data relevant to your transaction is encoded, which makes it unintelligible.
+This lack of complete transparency makes blind signing a risky procedure because it exposes your wallet to various types of attack.
+Unfortunately, blind signing is the procedure because of the way the P-chain, which is inherited from Avalanche, is designed to sign transactions.
+
+To mitigate these risks, you will verify the transactions using a verification tool.
+After initiating a transaction, you will copy the transaction data and paste it into the verification tool, which decodes the data and displays several specific parameters of each transaction.
+
+You will compare the decoded data with the data provided by MetaMask to ensure they are identical to each other.
+To complete this type of transaction, you must enable the **Eth_sign requests** setting in MetaMask.
+
+1. Open the MetaMask browser extension and unlock your MetaMask wallet with your password.
+2. Click the vertical three-dot menu and click **Settings**.
+3. Click **Advanced**.
+4. Locate **Eth_sign requests**, and toggle the switch to **ON**.
+   The **Use at your own risk** warning message is displayed.
+5. Read the warning message, click the checkbox to indicate that you understand the risks, and then click **Continue**.
+6. Type the statement the message prompts you to type, and click **Enable**.
+   **Eth_sign requests** is enabled.
+
+### 3. Move Funds to the P-chain
+
+Transfers between chains are made of two operations: an **export** from the C-chain followed by an **import** to the P-chain.
+Therefore, you are asked to confirm TWO transactions on your hardware wallet.
+
+When transferring from the C-chain to the P-chain, transaction fees are wholly paid from the C-chain.
+Make sure you leave enough funds on the C-chain after the transfer, or it will fail.
+
+1. In the Flare Portal, in the **Staking** tab, click **Deposit**.
+2. In the **Amount to deposit** field, specify the amount of `$FLR` from your main account that you want to deposit into your staking account, and click **Deposit**.
+    The **Deposit funds** window is displayed to begin the **export** transaction.
+
+    As a security measure, you should verify all transactions when using blind signing.
+    { #transaction-verification }
+
+    !!! note "Transaction Verification"
+
+        1. Install [npm, the Node package manager](https://www.npmjs.com/package/npm).
+            You only need to do this once.
+        2. In the **Deposit funds** window, click **Copy unsigned transaction**.
+        3. Open a terminal window, and run the [Flare Transaction Verification Tool](https://github.com/flare-foundation/flare-tx-verifier) by issuing:
+
+            ```bash
+            npx @flarenetwork/flare-tx-verifier INPUT
+            ```
+
+            where `INPUT` is the transaction information you copied in the previous step.
+
+            The verification process is run, and the details of the transaction are displayed.
+            For example:
+
+            ```json
+            network: "Flare Mainnet"
+            description: "Export from C-chain"
+            recipients: ["flare1a9aduj4xv5ptrz35xwd5zmr3a7c9ar4vq7j7cn"]
+            values: ["0.501 FLR"]
+            fee: 0.00034813 FLR
+            warnings: []
+            messageToSign: "0x2330e2bbd17ebedb1142c4d17a9a01457ec60323baef20a964f8106ad0c3ebe3"
+            ```
+
+        4. Locate the `messageToSign` value and compare it to the value of the message in the **Signature request** window in MetaMask.
+
+            Continue the process only if both values match.
+
+3. In MetaMask, click **Sign**.
+   MetaMask issues a message to warn you that your funds might be at risk.
+4. Click **Sign** again.
+   After the transaction is confirmed, the **import** operation begins, and you are required to sign another transaction.
+5. In MetaMask, click **Sign**.
+   MetaMask issues a message to warn you that your funds might be at risk.
+6. Click **Sign** again.
+   After the second transaction is confirmed, the **Available funds** field should reflect the new amount.
+   If not, refresh the page.
+
+### 4. Stake Your Funds
+
+To stake funds, delegate them to an existing validator.
+
+1. Identify the validator to which you will stake your funds by reviewing validator data on sites like [FlareMetrics](https://flaremetrics.io/validators), [flare.builders](https://www.flare.builders/validators), [SolidiFi](https://solidifi.app/validators), or the [Flare Validator Tracker](https://flare-validators.flare.network/), for example, and record its NodeID.
+2. In the **Staked funds** field, click **Stake**.
+   In the **Amount to stake** field, specify the amount of your available funds that you want to stake.
+   The [minimum amount is 50000 `$FLR`](#minimum-values).
+3. In the **Stake until** field, specify the date and time on which you want to unstake your funds.
+   Be mindful of the [14-day minimun duration](#minimum-values).
+4. From the **Validator node** dropdown menu, select the NodeID for the validator to which you want to stake.
+5. Click **Stake**.
+    Before staking can occur, you must sign several transactions.
+
+    !!! note "Transaction Verification"
+
+        It is highly recommended that you verify all transactions using the [Transaction Verification](#transaction-verification) procedure described in the box above.
+
+After the transactions are confirmed, your funds are staked to the validator you specified.
+
+### 5. Disable **Eth_sign requests**
+
+Because of the potential risks previously described, turn off **Eth_sign requests** after your funds are staked.
+Do not make any transactions outside the Flare Portal without first turning off **Eth_sign requests**.
+To locate the **Eth_sign requests** setting, see [step 2](#2-enable-eth_sign-requests).
+
+## Staking Guide for WalletConnect, Coinbase Connect, and Other Wallets
+
+If your wallet supports the Eth_sign transaction method, you can stake your funds with it on the Flare Portal.
+Otherwise, you must use either [FlareStake GUI](./staking-flarestake.md) or the [FlareStake CLI](./staking-cli.md) to stake your funds.

mkdocs.yml

@@ -182,6 +182,7 @@ nav:
     - Staking on Validators:
       - user/staking/index.md
       - user/staking/staking-flarestake.md
+      - user/staking/staking-portal.md
       - user/staking/staking-cli.md
     - user/claiming-the-flaredrop.md
     - user/automatic-claiming.md