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ThreeFold Setup Guide (DIY Path)

This guide walks you through setting up your ThreeFold Chain wallet and preparing to use tfgrid-compose.

Estimated time: 1-2 hours
Cost: Minimum ~$10-20 USD for initial TFT
Prerequisites: Smartphone (iOS or Android)

Overview

To deploy applications on ThreeFold Grid using tfgrid-compose, you need:

  1. ✅ ThreeFold Chain wallet (with seed phrase)
  2. ✅ Funded wallet with TFT (ThreeFold Token)
  3. ✅ Completed KYC verification
  4. ✅ Basic understanding of the process

This is the DIY path - you manage your own wallet and funds. For a simpler managed experience, see TFGrid Studio Cloud (coming soon).

Step 1: Install ThreeFold Connect

ThreeFold Connect is your mobile wallet for ThreeFold Chain.

Download the App

Create Your Wallet

  1. Open ThreeFold Connect
  2. Tap "Create New Wallet"
  3. Choose a strong password
  4. CRITICAL: Write down your seed phrase!
  5. You'll see 12 or 24 words
  6. Write them on paper (NOT digitally)
  7. Store in a safe place

  8. You CANNOT recover your wallet without this

  9. Verify your seed phrase (the app will ask)

  10. Your wallet is created! ✅

Important Notes

⚠️ Your seed phrase is your private key - Never share it with anyone - Never store it digitally (no screenshots, no cloud) - If you lose it, your funds are GONE forever - ThreeFold cannot recover your wallet

💡 This is your TFChain address - You'll see an address like: 5F3sa... - This is where you'll receive TFT - You'll use your seed phrase with tfgrid-compose

Step 2: Get TFT (ThreeFold Token)

You need TFT to deploy on ThreeFold Grid. Here are the main ways to acquire it:

Option A: Buy on Stellar (via Lobstr)

This is the most common method for new users.

2.1 Install Lobstr

2.2 Import Your Wallet to Lobstr

  1. Open Lobstr
  2. Tap "Import Wallet"
  3. Enter the SAME seed phrase from ThreeFold Connect
  4. Your wallet is now accessible in both apps

2.3 Buy USDC or XLM

  1. In Lobstr, tap "Buy Crypto"
  2. Choose USDC or XLM
  3. Enter amount (start with $20-50)
  4. Complete payment with credit card
  5. Wait for confirmation (~5 minutes)

2.4 Swap to TFT

  1. Tap "Trade" in Lobstr
  2. Search for "TFT" (ThreeFold Token)
  3. Select the swap: USDC → TFT (or XLM → TFT)
  4. Enter amount
  5. Confirm the swap
  6. You now have TFT on Stellar! ✅

Option B: Buy on Decentralized Exchanges

  • PancakeSwap (BSC network)
  • Uniswap (Ethereum network)
  • Check ThreeFold website for current listings

Option C: Receive from Someone

If someone else has TFT, they can send it directly to your wallet address.

Step 3: Bridge TFT to ThreeFold Chain

Important: TFT on Stellar needs to be bridged to ThreeFold Chain for deployments.

Why Bridge?

TFT on Stellar Network    →    TFT on ThreeFold Chain
(For trading/swaps)             (For Grid deployments)

Only TFT on ThreeFold Chain can be used to deploy VMs on the Grid.

How to Bridge

  1. Open ThreeFold Connect app
  2. Tap "Bridge" or "Stellar Bridge"
  3. Select amount of TFT to bridge
  4. Confirm: Stellar → TFChain
  5. Wait ~5-10 minutes for confirmation
  6. Check your TFChain balance in the app

Verify Balance

In ThreeFold Connect: - Check "TFChain Balance" (not Stellar) - This is what you can use for deployments - Example: 1000 TFT on TFChain = ready to deploy

Step 4: Complete KYC Verification

ThreeFold Grid requires KYC (Know Your Customer) for certain features.

Start KYC Process

  1. Open ThreeFold Connect
  2. Go to Settings → KYC Verification
  3. Choose verification method:
  4. Passport (recommended)
  5. National ID
  6. Driver's License

Upload Documents

  1. Take a clear photo of your ID
  2. Good lighting
  3. All corners visible

  4. Text readable

  5. Take a selfie

  6. Follow the on-screen instructions

  7. Hold your ID next to your face if required

  8. Submit for review

Wait for Approval

  • Typical time: 24-72 hours
  • Status: Check in app (Pending → Approved)
  • Notification: You'll receive an email when approved

What if Rejected?

  • Check email for reason
  • Common issues:
  • Photo too blurry
  • Glare on ID
  • Expired ID
  • Name mismatch
  • Resubmit with corrections

Step 5: Use with tfgrid-compose

Once you have: - ✅ Seed phrase - ✅ TFT on TFChain - ✅ KYC approved

You're ready to deploy!

Login

tfgrid-compose login

When prompted, enter your seed phrase (12 or 24 words).

Check Your Setup

tfgrid-compose login --check

This verifies: - ✓ Seed phrase is valid - ✓ Can connect to TFChain - ✓ Balance is sufficient

Your First Deployment

# Search for apps
tfgrid-compose search

# Deploy a simple VM
tfgrid-compose up single-vm

# Check status
tfgrid-compose status

# View logs
tfgrid-compose logs

# Stop when done
tfgrid-compose down

Cost Estimates

Initial Setup

  • TFT purchase: $20-50 (your choice)
  • Transaction fees: ~$0.10-0.50
  • KYC: Free

Deployment Costs (Approximate)

Resource Cost (USD/month) Cost (TFT/month)
Small VM (1 CPU, 2GB RAM) $3-5 60-100 TFT
Medium VM (2 CPU, 4GB RAM) $8-12 160-240 TFT
Large VM (4 CPU, 8GB RAM) $15-25 300-500 TFT
AI Agent (API-based) $5-10 100-200 TFT

Prices vary by farmer and resource availability

How Long Will My TFT Last?

$50 → ~1000 TFT
Small VM = ~80 TFT/month
= 12+ months of runtime

Medium VM = ~200 TFT/month  
= 5 months of runtime

Troubleshooting

"Can't find my seed phrase"

❌ If you lost your seed phrase, your wallet is unrecoverable.

You must: 1. Create a NEW wallet 2. Write down the NEW seed phrase 3. Transfer any remaining funds (if you still have access)

"Bridge is taking too long"

  • Normal wait: 5-10 minutes
  • If > 30 minutes:
  • Check Stellar network status
  • Check ThreeFold Chain status
  • Contact support if > 2 hours

"KYC pending for days"

  • Normal: 24-72 hours
  • If > 5 days:
  • Check spam folder for emails
  • Resubmit with clearer photos
  • Contact ThreeFold support

"Not enough TFT for deployment"

Check: 

tfgrid-compose login --check

Shows your balance. If low: - Bridge more from Stellar - Buy more TFT - Use smaller deployment

"Deployment failed"

Common causes: - Insufficient TFT - KYC not approved - Invalid seed phrase - Network congestion - No available nodes

Check logs: 

tfgrid-compose logs

Security Best Practices

Seed Phrase Security

✅ DO: - Write on paper, store in safe - Use multiple copies in different locations - Consider a hardware wallet (advanced) - Test recovery process with small amount first

❌ DON'T: - Screenshot or photo - Store in cloud (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.) - Store in password manager (debated, but risky) - Email or message to yourself - Share with anyone (even support!)

Account Security

  • Use strong password on ThreeFold Connect
  • Enable biometric lock (fingerprint/face)
  • Keep apps updated
  • Be wary of phishing (fake apps, emails)
  • Double-check addresses before sending TFT

Computer Security

When using tfgrid-compose: - Keep OS updated - Use antivirus software - Don't enter seed phrase on shared computers - Be careful with command history:

# Prevent seed phrase in history
set +o history
tfgrid-compose login
set -o history

Resources

  • ThreeFold Website: https://threefold.io
  • ThreeFold Manual: https://manual.grid.tf
  • ThreeFold Forum: https://forum.threefold.io
  • TFGrid Dashboard: https://dashboard.grid.tf

Community

  • Telegram: https://t.me/threefold
  • Discord: https://discord.gg/threefold

TFGrid Studio

  • Documentation: https://docs.tfgrid.studio
  • GitHub: https://github.com/tfgrid-studio
  • Support: support@tfgrid.studio (coming soon)

What's Next?

Once you're set up:

  1. Learn the CLI: tfgrid-compose Commands
  2. Deploy Apps: Deployment Guide
  3. Browse Patterns: Available Patterns
  4. Join Community: Share your experience!

Alternative: Managed Path

Don't want to manage wallets and TFT?

TFGrid Studio Cloud (coming soon) offers: - Email + password login - Credit card payment - We handle all the complexity - Same powerful deployments

Learn more →

Ready to deploy?

tfgrid-compose login
tfgrid-compose search
tfgrid-compose up <app>

Happy deploying! 🚀

TFGrid Studio Ecosystem

Integrated tools and resources