---
description: >-
  Learn how to create a blockchain account, and understand the differences
  between networks and chains.
---

# Create a Blockchain Account

Every action on Circular Connect, from issuing certificates to verifying records is tied to a blockchain account. These accounts are cryptographically secure identities created and owned by your organization. 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

{% stepper %}
{% step %}
### Click the 'Create an Account'

Once inside your dashboard, click the create an account button to continue.

<figure><img src="https://1656609669-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FObeFAtunEGRv1vQWdTLi%2Fuploads%2FwQTrwYf1czSlT743qeZb%2Fcreate.png?alt=media&#x26;token=43374e9a-c622-421a-b83c-59f3eb53749f" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>


{% endstep %}

{% step %}
### Give your Account a name

We recommend using descriptive names by purpose, use case, team or location.

<figure><img src="https://1656609669-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FObeFAtunEGRv1vQWdTLi%2Fuploads%2FJQG5LcT40N4H2l5BlkFX%2Fname.png?alt=media&#x26;token=0f1d87be-4dbe-4867-9d4e-ab7fc75c1a48" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>


{% endstep %}

{% step %}
### Select a Network

Circular supports multiple environments to suit different stages of your workflow:

1. Mainnet: Production-grade network for live, certified records
2. Testnet: Pre-production network for simulating real activity without using real credits
3. Devnet: Developer sandbox for local testing and experimentation


{% endstep %}

{% step %}
### Select a Chain

Choose the environment appropriate for your current use case. You can always create more accounts on different networks later.

<figure><img src="https://1656609669-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FObeFAtunEGRv1vQWdTLi%2Fuploads%2F7f1TgW29MWAsNofmyZp6%2Fchain.png?alt=media&#x26;token=d062e500-5f56-4992-82cf-b556e9193747" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>


{% endstep %}

{% step %}
### Securely Store your Private Key

Details here

<figure><img src="https://1656609669-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FObeFAtunEGRv1vQWdTLi%2Fuploads%2FM5HzmtwceKfpBX0GlfMW%2Fpk.png?alt=media&#x26;token=ecd65781-0085-4152-8571-27278ab98071" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>


{% endstep %}

{% step %}
### 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.

<figure><img src="https://1656609669-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FObeFAtunEGRv1vQWdTLi%2Fuploads%2FZQcX1cQx2k6P5YzGHA8h%2FAccount%20Recovery.png?alt=media&#x26;token=6da1c614-6aa2-41c8-8df0-c979972db589" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>


{% endstep %}

{% step %}
### 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.

<figure><img src="https://1656609669-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FObeFAtunEGRv1vQWdTLi%2Fuploads%2FTo9GYljAdejvW25RhdTi%2Fcreateaccount.png?alt=media&#x26;token=e65b3ecc-4f27-4299-892a-4a2b09e49aae" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

## Additional Notes

### Multiple Accounts:&#x20;

Circular allows organizations to create and manage multiple blockchain accounts under a single organizational profile. This flexibility is useful for segmenting activity across teams, departments, use cases, or even 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 ledger, while still being owned and managed by your organization.

### Filtering by Network:&#x20;

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

This filtering feature helps you keep test environments separate from production, while still managing everything from a single interface.

### Using the Faucet (Testnet & Devnet only):&#x20;

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. It’s a valuable tool for developers testing integrations or teams experimenting with Circular’s features before going live.

## Next Steps:

Your account is now ready, but it cannot issue certificates until it has available certificate credits. In the next step, we’ll walk through how to purchase 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 on the network.

***
