> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.livepeer.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# LPT & ETH Token Functions

> What the LPT & ETH Tokens are used for in the Livepeer Protocol

<Note>
  This page distinguishes the protocol's payment layer from its staking and governance layer so Delegators can reason about ETH-denominated fees and LPT-denominated security roles separately.
</Note>

### Payment Layers

The Livpeer Protocol uses two distinct currencies for different purposes:

| Currency | Purpose                            | Used By                   |
| -------- | ---------------------------------- | ------------------------- |
| ETH/Wei  | Service payments (transcoding, AI) | Gateways → Orchestrators  |
| LPT      | Staking, governance, rewards       | Orchestrators, Delegators |

The separation is intentional: ETH handles actual service payments while LPT handles protocol governance and staking.
This design keeps service costs predictable in a stable currency while allowing LPT to serve its governance function

**Price Configuration**
Prices can be specified in wei or converted from fiat currencies [starter.go:891-908](https://github.com/livepeer/go-livepeer/blob/5691cb48/cmd/livepeer/starter.go#L891-L908)

```go icon="terminal" theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"dark-plus"}}
pricePerUnit, currency, err := parsePricePerUnit(*cfg.PricePerUnit)
// Supports: "1000", "0.50USD", "1.5EUR" etc.
// Converts to wei for actual payments
```

## ETH Payments

Gateways pay for transcoding and AI processing services using ETH (Ethereum), not Livepeer tokens (LPT).
The payment system is built on Ethereum's currency.