diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9b58760..23d1a86 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ You can use the settle CLI for a smoke test of the programs after a release. See
 - Commit the code changes resulting from the steps above (excluding the key of the generated account).
 - Switch your network to mainnet (`solana config set --url mainnet-beta`). You should try out the next steps before the PR on devnet first, but switch to mainnet for the actual release.
 - [Deploy the programs](#how-to-deploy). The deployer keypair is in 1password (under "Solana Deployer"). The program keypair file is the key that was generated before.
+- [Publish the IDL](#publishing-the-idl).
 - Authorize all [currently existing solver](https://app.notion.com/p/cownation/Solvers-for-Solana-Dev-Contracts-3ca8da5f04ca80968642e85640178cbd) using the solver CLI (`cow solver add --help`).
 - Make sure the package installs without errors: run `cargo install --path /mnt/lima-solana/repos/solana-programs/solana-program-workbench/test-cli --locked` (it depends on all other packages).
 - Create a PR with the changes and wait for approval.
@@ -165,6 +166,16 @@ perl -i -pe '
 just build
 ```
 
+### Publishing the IDL
+
+Use the following command to publish the IDL.
+Block explorers will then use the IDL to show decoded transactions to the user.
+
+```sh
+settlement_program_address="the IDL will be registered for the program at the address specified in this string"
+npx @solana-program/program-metadata@latest write idl "$settlement_program_address" ./programs/settlement/idl/cow_settlement.json --keypair ./deployer-keypair.json
+```
+
 ## License
 
 [![License: MIT](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-green.svg)](./COPYING.MIT) [![License: Apache v2.0](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-Apache_2.0-green.svg)](./COPYING.APACHE) [![License: LGPL v3](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-LGPLv3-blue.svg)](./COPYING.LESSER)