Getting started with a wallet

Mirror uses the Ethereum blockchain to provide tools for creators to help create, publish, and engage with their audiences in a new way.

Before jumping in, it’s important to understand some important terms:

• Wallet: A crypto wallet is a digital passport that allows you to store and transfer cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc) and collectible NFTs.
• Keys: Your wallet has two identifiers: (1) a public key and (2) a private key.
  • The public key is the wallet address that other people may use to send you information.
  • The private key is like your password, which you can use to sign actions from your wallet.
  • Your wallet can only be controlled by using your private keys. This is how you interact with web3 features across the internet.
  • Mirror is not able to access your wallet private key (password) or change its contents.
• Ether (ETH): ETH is the native currency used for all transactions on the Ethereum network.
• Optimistic Ethereum (oETH): Optimism is an Optimistic Rollup that allows ETH transfers to be much faster with reduced gas fees. You can bridge your ETH to Optimistic ETH and learn more here.

You can learn more about ethereum and wallets here.

Next, let’s get you set up with a wallet. There are many options available. The most common services are described below: Metamask, Coinbase, and WalletConnect.

Set up a MetaMask wallet

Getting started is very simple and takes only minutes:

1. Download and install the MetaMask browser extension from MetaMask.
2. Select “Create a Wallet”
3. Create a username and password
4. Record your uniquely assigned Secret Recovery Phrase.
   1. If you lose this series of words or forget what order they’re in, you will lose access to your wallet, and it will be unrecoverable. We recommend writing the phrase on a piece of paper and storing it in a memorable, safe, and secure place.
5. The next step will ask you to confirm the phrase by placing all of the words in the assigned order.
6. MetaMask should now be set up and will appear in your browser extensions.
7. If you have any trouble, visit MetaMask Support.

Set up a Coinbase wallet

Setting up with Coinbase is a similar process:

1. Download and install the Coinbase Wallet browser extension from Coinbase.
2. Select “Create a new wallet.”
3. Record your uniquely assigned Secret Recovery Phrase.
   1. If you lose this series of words or forget what order they’re in, you will lose access to your wallet, and it will be unrecoverable. We recommend writing the phrase on a piece of paper and storing it in a memorable, safe, and secure place.
4. The next step will ask you to confirm the phrase by selecting the first and last words of the phrase respectively.
5. Next, create a username and password.
6. Coinbase Wallet should now be set up and will appear in your browser extensions.
7. If you have any trouble, visit Coinbase Support.

Connect with WalletConnect

Alternatively, you can use a wallet supported by WalletConnect - a few commonly used options are Rainbow Wallet and Trust Wallet.

The setup process for each wallet is similar. Make sure to choose the wallet that best suits your needs.

Linking your email and wallet on Mirror

You can subscribe via email to projects on Mirror. We recommend linking your Mirror profile to your preferred email. This is a simple and quick process:

1. Sign into your profile on the dashboard by connecting your wallet.
2. Under Settings in the dashboard menu, navigate to the Accounts tab
3. Enter your email and submit. This will send a confirmation email to make sure it’s really you!
4. Once you’ve confirmed the email in your inbox, return back to settings and you’ll see you’re all set.

Note: If you are already subscribed to projects on Mirror by email, but have not connected a wallet yet, you may still do so by following the steps above and confirming your email again or when you subscribe to a new project.