diff --git a/.github/scripts/seed-internal-testnet.sh b/.github/scripts/seed-internal-testnet.sh
index ff31e618..34a0da66 100755
--- a/.github/scripts/seed-internal-testnet.sh
+++ b/.github/scripts/seed-internal-testnet.sh
@@ -69,22 +69,20 @@ npx hardhat --network "${ERC20_DEPLOYER_NETWORK_NAME}" mint-erc20 "$USD_CONTRACT
 npx hardhat --network "${ERC20_DEPLOYER_NETWORK_NAME}" mint-erc20 "$wETH_CONTRACT_ADDRESS" "$DEV_TEST_WALLET_ADDRESS" 1000000000000000000000
 npx hardhat --network "${ERC20_DEPLOYER_NETWORK_NAME}" mint-erc20 "$AXLUSD_CONTRACT_ADDRESS" "$DEV_TEST_WALLET_ADDRESS" 100000000000
 
-# seed webapp E2E whale account 
+# seed webapp E2E whale account
 npx hardhat --network "${ERC20_DEPLOYER_NETWORK_NAME}" mint-erc20 "$wBTC_CONTRACT_ADDRESS" "$WEBAPP_E2E_WHALE_ADDRESS" 100000000000000
 npx hardhat --network "${ERC20_DEPLOYER_NETWORK_NAME}" mint-erc20 "$USD_CONTRACT_ADDRESS" "$WEBAPP_E2E_WHALE_ADDRESS" 1000000000000
 npx hardhat --network "${ERC20_DEPLOYER_NETWORK_NAME}" mint-erc20 "$wETH_CONTRACT_ADDRESS" "$WEBAPP_E2E_WHALE_ADDRESS" 10000000000000000000000
 npx hardhat --network "${ERC20_DEPLOYER_NETWORK_NAME}" mint-erc20 "$AXLUSD_CONTRACT_ADDRESS" "$WEBAPP_E2E_WHALE_ADDRESS" 10000000000000
 
 # give dev-wallet enough delegation power to pass proposals by itself
-# enumerate all genesis validators
-GENTX_VALIDATORS=("kavavaloper1xcgtffvv2yeqmgs3yz4gv29kgjrj8usxrnrlwp" "kavavaloper1w66m9hdzwgd6uc8g93zqkcumgwzrpcw958sh3s")
 
 # issue 300KAVA to delegate to each validator
 kava tx issuance issue 600000000ukava kava1vlpsrmdyuywvaqrv7rx6xga224sqfwz3fyfhwq \
   --from dev-wallet --gas-prices 0.5ukava -y
 
 # delegate 300KAVA to each validator
-for validator in "${GENTX_VALIDATORS[@]}"
+for validator in "${GENESIS_VALIDATOR_ADDRESSES[@]}"
 do
   kava tx staking delegate "${validator}" 300000000ukava --from dev-wallet --gas-prices 0.5ukava -y
 done
diff --git a/.github/workflows/cd-internal-testnet.yml b/.github/workflows/cd-internal-testnet.yml
index 973b84ec..1399f500 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cd-internal-testnet.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cd-internal-testnet.yml
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ jobs:
       chain-id: kava_2221-17000
       seed-script-filename: seed-internal-testnet.sh
       erc20-deployer-network-name: internal_testnet
+      genesis_validator_addresses: "kavavaloper1xcgtffvv2yeqmgs3yz4gv29kgjrj8usxrnrlwp kavavaloper1w66m9hdzwgd6uc8g93zqkcumgwzrpcw958sh3s"
     secrets: inherit
     needs: [start-chain-api]
   post-pipeline-metrics:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/cd-protonet.yml b/.github/workflows/cd-protonet.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..07045f65
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/cd-protonet.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+name: Continuous Deployment (Protonet)
+# run after every successful CI job of new commits to the master branch
+on:
+  workflow_run:
+    workflows: [Continuous Integration (Kava Master)]
+    types:
+      - completed
+
+jobs:
+  # in order:
+  # enter standby (prevents autoscaling group from killing node during deploy)
+  # stop kava
+  # take ebs + zfs snapshots
+  # download updated binary and genesis
+  # reset application database state (only done on internal testnet)
+  reset-chain-to-zero-state:
+    # only start cd pipeline if last ci run was successful
+    if: ${{ github.event.workflow_run.conclusion == 'success' }}
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/cd-reset-internal-testnet.yml
+    with:
+      aws-region: us-east-1
+      chain-id: proto_2221-17000
+      ssm-document-name: kava-testnet-internal-node-update
+      playbook-name: reset-internal-testnet-playbook.yml
+      playbook-infrastructure-branch: master
+    secrets: inherit
+
+  # start kava with new binary and genesis state on api, peer and seed nodes, place nodes in service once they start and are synched to live
+  start-chain-api:
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/cd-start-chain.yml
+    with:
+      aws-region: us-east-1
+      chain-id: proto_2221-17000
+      ssm-document-name: kava-testnet-internal-node-update
+      playbook-name: start-chain-api-playbook.yml
+      playbook-infrastructure-branch: master
+    secrets: inherit
+    needs: [reset-chain-to-zero-state]
+
+  # setup test and development accounts and balances, deploy contracts by calling the chain's api
+  seed-chain-state:
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/cd-seed-chain.yml
+    with:
+      chain-api-url: https://rpc.app.protonet.us-east.production.kava.io:443
+      chain-id: proto_2221-17000
+      seed-script-filename: seed-internal-testnet.sh
+      erc20-deployer-network-name: protonet
+      genesis_validator_addresses: "kavavaloper14w4avgdvqrlpww6l5dhgj4egfn6ln7gmtp7r2m"
+    secrets: inherit
+    needs: [start-chain-api]
+  post-pipeline-metrics:
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/metric-pipeline.yml
+    if: always() # always run so we metric failures and successes
+    with:
+      aws-region: us-east-1
+      metric-name: kava.deploys.testnet.proto
+      namespace: Kava/ContinuousDeployment
+    secrets: inherit
+    needs: [seed-chain-state]
diff --git a/.github/workflows/cd-seed-chain.yml b/.github/workflows/cd-seed-chain.yml
index a5befa9e..24f03d5a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cd-seed-chain.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cd-seed-chain.yml
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ on:
       erc20-deployer-network-name:
         required: true
         type: string
+      genesis_validator_addresses:
+        required: true
+        type: string
     secrets:
       DEV_WALLET_MNEMONIC:
         required: true
@@ -71,3 +74,4 @@ jobs:
           DEV_WALLET_MNEMONIC: ${{ secrets.DEV_WALLET_MNEMONIC }}
           SEED_SCRIPT_FILENAME: ${{ inputs.seed-script-filename }}
           ERC20_DEPLOYER_NETWORK_NAME: ${{ inputs.erc20-deployer-network-name }}
+          GENESIS_VALIDATOR_ADDRESSES: ${{ inputs.genesis_validator_addresses }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-default.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-default.yml
index 1968193f..494bc418 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-default.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-default.yml
@@ -48,3 +48,5 @@ jobs:
         run: make install
       - name: validate testnet genesis
         run: kava validate-genesis ci/env/kava-internal-testnet/genesis.json
+      - name: validate protonet genesis
+        run: kava validate-genesis ci/env/kava-protonet/genesis.json