Learn how to create a blockchain account, and understand the differences between networks and chains.
Every action in Circular Connect, from issuing certificates to verifying records, is performed using a blockchain account. These accounts are cryptographically secure identities managed by your organization via key custody. Each account operates independently and can be configured for different environments or use cases.
Whether you’re working on a test project or preparing to deploy in production, this guide walks you through the process of creating your first account.
Steps to Create a Blockchain Account
1
Click the 'Create an Account'
Once inside your dashboard, click the Create an Account button to continue.
2
Give your Account a name
We recommend using descriptive names by purpose, use case, team or location.
3
Select a Network
Circular supports multiple environments to suit different stages of your workflow:
Mainnet: production environment for live, verifiable records
Testnet: pre-production environment for simulating activity without using real credits
Devnet: developer sandbox for local testing and experimentation
4
Select a Chain
Choose the environment appropriate for your current use case. You can always create more accounts on different networks later.
5
Securely Store your Private Key
Details here
6
Securely Store your Recovery Phrase
Each account is backed by a 12-word recovery phrase. This phrase is your only way to restore the account if access is lost.
Write it down and store it securely — preferably offline.
Do not share it with anyone.
You will be asked to confirm the phrase before continuing.
7
Confirm and Finalize account
Congratulations, your account has been created. You’ll see it listed in your dashboard, associated with the selected network. If desired, you can download an encrypted file of your secret key and recovery phrase.
Additional Notes
Multiple Accounts:
Circular Connect allows organizations to create and manage multiple accounts under a single organizational profile. This is useful for segmenting activity across teams, departments, use cases, or regulatory jurisdictions. For example, a clinical research team might operate one account for internal studies and another for collaborative trials with external partners. Each account has its own cryptographic key pair and its own certificate history as recorded on the relevant chain(s), while being administered by your organization through its own custody and access controls.
Filtering by Network:
As your organization expands, you may manage accounts across several environments. Circular Connect makes it easy to filter and view your accounts by network:
Mainnet for production-grade records
Testnet for simulating certificate workflows before launch
Devnet for rapid development and experimentation
Using the Faucet (Testnet & Devnet only):
On Testnet and Devnet, you can request free certificate credits from the built-in faucet. This allows you to simulate issuing and verifying certificates without making a purchase.
Next Steps:
Your account is ready, but it cannot issue certificates until it has available certificate credits. Next, we’ll walk through how to obtain credits using a predefined plan or a custom package, depending on your organization’s needs. These credits are used each time you certify and anchor new data to the selected chain.
