Radix Wallet and the Babylon Mainnet: A Developer Guide for 2026

Babylon was the name of the Radix mainnet release that brought the network from its earlier testing phase into a live, production environment where real assets could be held and used. The launch mattered for three reasons. It moved the network from a design that was still being tested to one that people could rely on, it made the Radix Engine and its smart contract model available for public use, and it gave users a wallet that could hold and move the network's native token, XRD.

For developers, the release was the point where building for the network stopped being experimental. Apps could be deployed to a live environment, and tools for reading on-chain data and submitting transactions became part of a normal workflow.

For users, the practical effect was simple: a wallet, a set of accounts and a network to use them on. The details of any individual feature may have changed since launch, so the official Radix documentation is the right place to confirm the current behavior of the network and wallet.

If you are reading this guide to understand what happened, the key idea is that Babylon was a milestone, not a single event with a finished outcome. Its value to you today depends on what you want to do on the network now.

Radix Wallet is the official wallet for the Radix network. It is non-custodial, which means your keys are created on your device and you control the funds. The wallet is designed to handle the accounts you hold on Radix, the tokens in those accounts, and the approvals you give to apps that want to act on your behalf.

The wallet is generally used in two ways. On a phone, it works as a standalone app for holding and moving assets. In a desktop browser, it connects to the websites of Radix dApps so you can sign transactions without copying keys into a web page. Confirm which versions are currently published on official channels before you install anything.

The main thing to understand is that the wallet does not hold your funds on a server. The network records balances, and the wallet is the tool that proves you are the authorized owner. If the wallet is lost or wiped and you have no backup, the same rule applies: no one can restore access for you.

Before you rely on the wallet for significant amounts, read the current documentation, test with a small transfer, and make sure you understand how to back up and restore it.

Setting up a wallet correctly matters more than any feature. Follow these steps on a device you trust.

1. Download the wallet only from the official Radix website or the official app store listing linked from that site. Do not use links from direct messages or search ads.
2. Create a new wallet and write down the recovery phrase on paper. Do not store it in a screenshot, a cloud note or a chat app.
3. Confirm the phrase by entering it when the wallet asks. This step proves you copied it correctly.
4. Store the paper in a secure location that is not your phone or your computer. Consider keeping a second copy in a separate place.
5. Set a device passcode and enable whatever lock the operating system offers.
6. Send a small test amount to the new account and confirm it arrives before moving larger balances.

If you use a browser extension, install it only from the official source and check the publisher name before you approve it. Keep your browser and operating system up to date.

Never type your recovery phrase into a website, a form or a support chat. A genuine app will not ask for it outside the setup flow.

Radix Wallet uses accounts to hold assets and personas to identify you to apps. Accounts are where tokens sit on the network. Each account can hold balances and can be used to sign transactions. A persona is an identity you can present to a dApp, and it lets you choose what information you share.

The practical advice is to separate purposes. Use one account for money you plan to hold long term, and another for activity you treat as higher risk, such as testing a new app. This limits the damage if an app turns out to be malicious or a signing request is misunderstood.

Read every signing request carefully. Check which account is being used, which app is asking, and what the transaction will do. If the request asks for permission to spend a token without a clear reason, reject it.

If you manage funds for a business or DAO, consider using a dedicated account and a documented approval process rather than sharing one recovery phrase between people. Use the wallet's current documentation to confirm how accounts and personas are created and managed, because interface details can change between releases.

XRD is the native token of the Radix network. It is used for network activity, and the exact uses may expand as the network develops, so check the official documentation for the current list. You will need XRD in your account to pay for many transactions, and you should keep a small balance in every account you actively use.

To get XRD, you can usually acquire it through exchanges that list it or through transfers from another account you control. Exchanges vary by country and by their own listing decisions, so confirm that a platform supports the token and that it is available where you live before depositing funds.

When you receive or send tokens, always check the network, the token and the amount. Some tokens with similar names or symbols are not the same asset. Compare the token address or official identifier with the one shown on an official source.

Fees and balances can change, so do not rely on figures from old articles. Check the wallet's current fee display before you confirm any transaction, and keep a margin of XRD so that a transaction does not fail because a fee has risen.

Most risky activity in crypto starts with a connection to a website that looks legitimate but is not. Radix dApps are accessed through websites, so the same safety rules apply here as with any other network.

Before you connect your wallet, check the domain carefully. Look for misspellings, extra words or unusual endings. Bookmark official sites after you verify them, and open them from the bookmark rather than from public reporting or messages.

When the wallet asks you to sign something, read it. A connection request is different from a transaction, and a transaction is different from a permission to spend tokens later. Reject anything you do not understand, and do not sign messages that ask for your recovery phrase or that you cannot explain.

Revoke permissions you no longer need. Many wallets and independent tools show which contracts have spending rights over your tokens. Review that list periodically, particularly after trying a new app.

If you suspect a site is fake, disconnect the wallet, move remaining funds to a fresh account if needed, and report the site through the official project channels. Do not follow instructions from anyone who offers to recover funds for a fee.

Developers who want to build on Radix should start with the official developer documentation, which describes the programming model, the Radix Engine and the tools available for testing and deployment. The smart contract language used on the network is Scrypto, and it is worth reading the current language and tooling guides before you write any code.

A typical development path has four stages. First, learn the asset and component model, since the network treats assets and logic in a way that differs from some other chains. Second, write and test code in a local or test environment. Third, review your code with other developers and, for anything holding value, arrange a professional security review. Fourth, deploy to the network and monitor it.

For reading on-chain data, developers typically use the gateway or other data services described in the official documentation. Confirm the endpoints and rate limits before building production systems, because these details change.

Run your own test cases for wallet interactions. Check how your app handles rejected signatures, failed transactions and changes in account state, since those are the cases users run into most often. Keep your dependencies current and do not hardcode secrets in client code.

Because status information changes often, this guide does not state current figures. Instead, use a small set of sources and check them together.

Start with the official Radix website and developer documentation for announcements, network notices and wallet release information. Then look at block explorers, which show transactions, accounts and token activity on the network. For broader context on DeFi activity across chains, DefiLlama aggregates total value locked, volume and fees for many protocols, which can help you see whether a given app is still active.

When you check data, note the date and time of each reading. A figure that was accurate last month may be out of date. Compare at least two sources before you act on a number, and be cautious of posts that cite a single unverified source.

Also check social and community channels with care. They can be useful for early notices, but they are also a common place for scam accounts that copy the names and logos of real projects. Verify any link or account against the official site before following it.

Finally, keep a short personal log of the sources you trust. A consistent routine makes it easier to spot changes and avoid being rushed into decisions.

Most losses from wallet use come from avoidable mistakes rather than from technical failures. The following list covers the errors that appear most often.

• Storing the recovery phrase digitally, where it can be copied or synced to other devices.
• Sharing the phrase with someone who claims to be support, a developer or a recovery service.
• Installing a wallet, extension or app from a link in a message or advert.
• Approving a transaction without checking the account, the app and the amount.
• Granting unlimited token spending permissions to an app you use once.
• Sending funds to the wrong network or to an address that was copied incorrectly.
• Ignoring software updates on the phone or computer that holds the wallet.

A simple defensive routine helps. Before any transaction, confirm the destination and network. Before any connection, confirm the domain. After any new app, review your permissions. Keep recovery material offline and in more than one secure place.

If you handle larger amounts, consider a hardware wallet if the Radix Wallet setup you use supports one, and check the official documentation for the current list of compatible devices. Never let speed override checking.