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Fireblocks has three types of workspaces. The workspace type you use will determine your capabilities, so knowing which type you’re working in is important.
  • Developer Sandbox environments and Testnet workspaces are used for development and testing.
  • Mainnet workspaces are used to deploy into production (with real funds).
Even though each workspace type has different capabilities, they all utilize similar APIs and SDKs, allowing you to develop and test your code against “lower” environments before deploying to your live production environment.

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Workspace Types

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Mainnet

Mainnet is a production-level blockchain network with cryptocurrency transactions being broadcast, verified, and recorded. Mainnets have a base asset that can be used as funds in transactions or to pay network fees. All assets on Mainnets have real-world monetary value. A Mainnet workspace is a fully developed and deployed environment that allows you and your organization to conduct your real-world financial operations on the Fireblocks platform. In Mainnet workspaces, you can securely:
  • Transfer digital assets
  • Add users
  • Create a Vault account or multiple
  • Whitelist new addresses
  • Connect to supported exchanges
  • Connect to other Fireblocks Network members
  • Configure MPC-CMP devices
  • Establish network connections
Moving to Mainnet workspaces: When you’re ready to use your Mainnet workspace, there are a few things to keep in mind before you get started.
  • When testing new functions in Mainnet (production) environments, use small amounts first to confirm intended functionality before upscaling to larger amounts.
  • Other than the users you add to both, your Mainnet and testnet workspaces are completely different workspaces. Your Mainnet workspace will require its own vault accounts and asset wallets, exchange and fiat account connections, policies, users, and more.
  • You must define the Mainnet workspace’s Policy rules to work in accordance with the Mainnet workspace’s various users, user groups, sources, destinations, and assets. These parameters will likely be different from what you used in your testnet workspace.
  • You must configure your Mainnet workspace to work with any API integrations and third-party accounts you want to carry over from your testnet workspace. This includes creating a new API key for and provisioning your API Co-Signer. Note that you can add Fireblocks Console users, adjust the Admin Quorum, and connect to exchange accounts, fiat accounts, and Fireblocks Network members before or after you configure your API integrations.

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Testnet

Testnet is a blockchain test network used by developers to run tests with the blockchain. Testnets operate on blockchains separate from their associated Mainnet. Testnet assets have no monetary value, and many of them reset periodically. A Testnet workspace is a testing-level environment that only allows you to use Testnet assets for integration and testing purposes. You can also perform many of the same actions you can in a Mainnet workspace without incurring real-world fees. In the Fireblocks Console, the “Testnet Environment” badge appears at the top of the page to help you identify your Testnet workspace.

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Limitations of Testnet workspaces

The Testnet workspace will have certain conditions to protect you from losing real assets and compromising security while you test, such as:
  • Only Testnet assets and Testnet blockchains are supported (e.g., Ethereum Sepolia Testnet)
  • Simplified signing process that removes many security features in favor of simple setup and testing, such as no mobile signing application support and no client co-signer support
  • Limited exchange integrations since not all exchanges support Testnet blockchains and may not work as they would on Mainnet
  • Fiat integrations will only work on fiat test networks
  • DeFi and Web3 have limited blockchain and Web3 dApp test network support
  • The Fireblocks Network is not available
  • Transaction screening AML/KYT integrations are not available
  • Reduced API rate limits (production-level load testing is not available)

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Developer Sandbox

Sandbox workspaces are freely available to sign up for. These workspaces are geared towards quick development and experimentation. Here are some of the highlights of Sandbox environments:
  • When creating API users, the CSR certificate required to generate the private key is automatically created in the browser.
  • Access to the Developer Area API Monitoring feature that displays the workspace’s API calls and errors over 24-hour and 7-day periods.
  • No mobile signing devices are needed since all transactions are auto-approved, reducing the complexity of trying out the Fireblocks API.

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Differences in Sandbox User Roles

When creating new Console or API users in Developer Sandbox workspaces, there are only three workspace roles available:
  • Non-Signing Admin
  • Editor
  • Viewer
In Sandbox workspaces, the Owner role is taken up by a backend service that manages auto-approvals to make experimentation and development easier. Therefore, the Non-Signing Admin replaces this role type and has the highest level of permissions, which are not present in Mainnet/Testnet workspaces, such as:
  • Creating and deleting users
  • Resetting 2FA for workspace users
  • Signing transactions (despite the “non-signing” in the role’s name)
For more information about workspace roles and permissions in production Mainnet and Testnet workspaces, visit our Help Center.

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Supported Mainnets, Testnets, and Assets

Visit the Supported blockchain networks page in our Help Center to learn more about supported Mainnets, Testnets, and assets.