Mina is a lightweight blockchain technology developed which aims to solve scalability, decentralization, and efficiency in the blockchain ecosystem. Termed the "world's lightest blockchain," Mina has a very unique special cryptographic framework and a lightweight architecture in putting the user experience as smooth as possible to allow much broader accessibility.
Mina is using at its core a cryptographic method: zk-SNARKs-zero knowledge Succinct Non-Interactive Arguments of Knowledge. In such a way, Mina is able to maintain a small and fixed blockchain size, of some 22 kilobytes, irrespective of how many transactions ever occurred on the blockchain. Mina, thanks to zk-SNARKs, doesn't require nodes to store the entire transaction history but rather a succinct proof of the state of the blockchain. This makes Mina very efficient and lightweight, with much less computational and storage demands.
Creating a wallet on Mina Blockchain is quite easy, letting your Mina tokens be better kept and used to interact with decentralized applications, Snapps. Here is a basic and easy step-by-step guide to get you going:
Step 1: Choose a Mina-Compatible Wallet
The first step is selecting a wallet that supports Mina. Popular options include:
- Auro Wallet Auro Wallet is a user-friendly wallet for Mina. It is available as a browser extension for Chrome and Firefox and as a mobile app for iOS and Android.
- Ledger Hardware Wallet For users seeking enhanced security, Mina is compatible with Ledger hardware wallets, which provide offline storage for private keys. For the benefit of this tutorial we will be utilising Auro wallet.
Step 2: Install the Wallet
- Auro Wallet Installation
- For browser extension:
- Visit the official Auro Wallet website or search for "Auro Wallet" in the Chrome or Firefox Web Store.
- Click "Add to Chrome/Firefox" and follow the prompts to install the extension.
- For mobile app:
- Download the Auro Wallet app from the Google Play Store (Android) or App Store (iOS).
- For browser extension:
Step 3: Create a New Wallet
- Using Auro Wallet
- Open the Auro Wallet app or extension.
- Click on "Create New Wallet."
- Write down the 12-word recovery phrase provided. This is your backup and the only way to recover your wallet if you lose access. ⚠️ Important: Store this phrase securely and never share it with anyone.
- Confirm the recovery phrase by entering it as prompted.
- Set a secure password for your wallet. Step 4: Access Your Mina Address After setting up your wallet, you'll be assigned a unique Mina wallet address. This is the public key you can share to receive tokens. To find your Mina address:
- Open your wallet (Auro or Ledger).
- Navigate to the "Receive" or "Account Details" section.
- Copy the wallet address displayed. It will look something like: B62q..... (Mina addresses always start with "B62").
Step 6: Secure Your Wallet
- Backup Recovery Phrase Ensure your 12-word recovery phrase is written down and stored in a safe location. Consider storing it in multiple secure locations for redundancy.
- Enable Password Protection If using Auro Wallet, always set a strong password for added protection.
Step 7: Interact with the Mina Ecosystem
Now that your wallet is set up and funded, you can:
- Send and receive Mina tokens.
- Interact with Snapps (Mina’s decentralized applications).
- Stake Mina tokens to participate in the blockchain's Proof-of-Stake consensus and earn rewards.
By following these steps, you’ll have a secure Mina wallet ready to manage tokens and explore the blockchain’s innovative ecosystem.
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