DRepTalk can submit the three on-chain DRep lifecycle actions for you: registering, changing your metadata, and deregistering (which returns your deposit). All of them are non-custodial: dreptalk.com never sees your keys. Your wallet signs and submits each transaction, so you always confirm the exact certificate and cost in your wallet. You need a CIP-95 capable wallet (for example Lace, Eternl, or Typhon).
Register as a DRep
Go to Register as a DRep, connect your wallet, and fill in your profile: name, your objectives, links, and an optional profile image (JPG or PNG, up to 256 KB). Behind Show advanced fields you can also add motivations, qualifications, a payment address, and the CIP-119 “do not list” flag (kept in your metadata, DRepTalk still shows you). DRepTalk hosts this as a CIP-119 metadata document and your wallet submits the registration certificate pointing at it. Registration locks a refundable 500 ada deposit plus a small network fee. The deposit comes back in full when you later deregister.
Set up or change your DRep metadata
Your on-chain metadata is what wallets, explorers, and DRepTalk show to delegators. If yours is outdated, or you registered without any, sign in as a DRep and open Settings, Metadata. The form is prefilled with your current on-chain profile. Edit the name, objectives, or links, upload an image if you like, and submit. Your wallet signs an update certificate that points to the new document. There is no deposit for updates, only the small network fee.
The change is on the chain as soon as the transaction confirms. When you submit it through DRepTalk, your profile here updates right away. Wallets and explorers show it after their next sync. A profile you change with another tool reaches DRepTalk with the next metadata re-read, which runs every six hours.
Your drep.link
Every DRep with a name in its metadata gets a short link to its DRepTalk
profile, like drep.link/yourname. Share it in your bio, your posts or your
slides. It is built from your name when you first appear with one, and it keeps
working when you rename yourself later.
To pick a different one, sign in as a DRep and open
Settings, drep.link. Your old link keeps redirecting for 180 days,
then it becomes free for others. You can pick the next new name once it has
expired, and switch back to it after 90 days. DReps without a name can always
use drep.link/ followed by their DRep id.
Under Share your votes on the same tab you find a share text for your social profiles and three badges to paste into your own site, all linking to your drep.link. When a visitor comes through that link and starts following a delegation on DRepTalk, the new account is counted for your link.
Get your 500 ada deposit back
The 500 ada you locked when you registered is refunded automatically when you deregister (retire) your DRep. Sign in as a DRep, open the Danger Zone in Settings, and use Retire DRep. Your wallet submits a deregistration certificate, and the full deposit is returned to your wallet once the transaction confirms. There is no separate withdrawal step and no extra deposit. You pay only the small network fee for the transaction.
Retire (deregister) your DRep
Retiring is done from the Danger Zone in Settings. It submits a deregistration certificate to the chain: your 500 ada deposit is refunded once it confirms, and everyone who delegated their voting power to you loses that delegation. You can register again later, but delegators would need to delegate to you again.
Retiring is an on-chain action only. It does not delete your DRepTalk forum account, your posts, or your profile page.
What these actions never do
None of them move your funds beyond the shown deposit and fee, and none ask for a seed phrase or private key. Your wallet shows you the certificate and the exact cost before anything is submitted. If something looks different, reject it.
Frequently asked questions
How do I register as a DRep on Cardano?
Use Register as a DRep with a CIP-95 capable wallet. It locks a refundable 500 ada deposit plus a network fee.
How do I change my DRep metadata?
Sign in as a DRep, edit the prefilled form in Settings and sign the update certificate in your wallet.
What is my drep.link?
A short link to your DRepTalk profile, like drep.link/yourname. It is built from your on-chain name, and you can pick a different one in Settings. After a change, the next new name is possible after 180 days.
How much does it cost to update my DRep metadata?
Only the network fee. Updates need no deposit.
How do I get my 500 ada DRep deposit back?
Retire your DRep. The full deposit returns to your wallet once the deregistration confirms.
Does retiring my DRep delete my DRepTalk forum account?
No. Retiring is on-chain only, your forum account and posts stay.