Livepeer fees between Gateways and Orchestrators are settled in ETH on Arbitrum One via probabilistic micropayment (PM) tickets. Gateways can configure price caps in wei or in USD (converted at runtime via a Chainlink price feed). LPT is the staking and governance token and plays no role in day-to-day payment flows.
Payments Guide
After initial gateway setup, the next step is configuring how the gateway pays Orchestrators for compute. The right payment path depends on the gateway’s operational mode and node type.The gateway holds no ETH and no Ethereum key. Payments are handled by a connected remote signer or clearinghouse. For testing, use the community signer at
signer.eliteencoder.net. Once a public clearinghouse reaches GA, this becomes a pure API key sign-up.Next step: Video transcoding requires the on-chain self-managed path. The gateway holds an Ethereum keystore, signs PM tickets directly, and needs a funded deposit and reserve on Arbitrum. Remote signing is not supported for video workloads.Next step:
AI gateways can also run on-chain, using
-aiServiceRegistry for automatic orchestrator discovery and self-managed PM tickets. The gateway holds an Ethereum keystore and a funded account, same as a video gateway.Next step: Because the video component requires on-chain payments, a dual gateway follows the on-chain self-managed path. The AI component uses the same funded account. Fund the gateway, then configure pricing for both video (per-pixel) and AI (per-pipeline).Next step:
Non-Go gateways (Python, mobile, browser) use the remote signer path via the Livepeer SDK. The SDK handles PM signing interaction with the remote signer. The gateway holds no Ethereum dependency.Next step:
Build or integrate with a clearinghouse. A clearinghouse runs remote signer instances, holds ETH, and adds user management, accounting, and billing. See the Opportunities section for NaaP infrastructure guidance.Next step:
Operational Modes
The gateway’s operational mode determines whether the gateway process itself handles Ethereum interactions or delegates them to a remote signer or clearinghouse.Off-chain does not mean free. Off-chain gateways still pay Orchestrators via PM tickets - the signing and ETH custody are handled by a remote signer or clearinghouse instead of the gateway process itself.
Payment Setup
Three payment architectures exist. Each downstream page covers setup in full.Related Pages
Funding Guide
Deposit ETH into the TicketBroker contract and set the reserve. Required for on-chain gateways.
Pricing Strategy
Set maximum prices per pipeline and model. Controls which Orchestrators the gateway can access.
Remote Signers
Isolate the Ethereum key into a separate signing service. Required for keyless Live AI gateways.
Clearinghouses
Delegate all ETH management to a third-party clearinghouse.