# Yield-as-inference, in one page > Gatewayz yield-as-inference turns Cardano delegation into a way to pay for AI. Holders delegate ADA from their own wallets to the Gatewayz stake pool, keep their ADA, and receive 95% of the rewards their stake earns Gatewayz as a discount that pays 99% of each AI request. A demo runs on preprod; mainnet is switched off until launch. We are looking for feedback, pilot treasuries and stake pool operator conversations. **In one line:** Delegation that stays non-custodial, rewards that arrive as AI compute, and a demo on preprod today: we want the ecosystem's feedback before mainnet. Gatewayz yield-as-inference lets ADA holders pay for AI with their staking rewards instead of selling ADA. Holders [delegate](/yield/glossary#delegation) to the Gatewayz [stake pool](/yield/glossary#stake-pool) from their own wallet; the ADA never moves. After each finished [epoch](/yield/glossary#epoch), 95% of the rewards their stake earned Gatewayz is credited as an [inference discount balance](/yield/glossary#inference-discount-balance) that pays 99% of every request on Gatewayz until it is used. This page is the short version for ecosystem partners. - **Preprod demo:** Live, by invitation - **Mainnet:** Built, switched off - **Launch limits:** $5/account/day ยท $50/program/day - **Eligibility:** Not for US or Canadian persons ## Key takeaways - **Problem.** Teams that hold ADA and pay for AI either sell ADA to cover the bill or leave staking rewards idle. There is no native way to point staking at a service they already buy. - **Mechanism.** Ordinary Cardano delegation. No contract holds funds, there is no lock-up and no [slashing](/yield/glossary#slashing), and the pool follows the same protocol rules as every other pool. - **What is live.** A working demo on Cardano's preprod testnet with test ADA. The program is built and switched off on mainnet. - **Launch limits.** At most $5 of discount per account per day and $50 per day across the program, so growth is deliberate. - **What we are asking for.** Feedback on the design, a few pilot treasuries, and conversations with stake pool operators. ## What problem does it solve? AI is becoming a recurring cost for DAOs, builders and agents in the ecosystem, and today it is paid in dollars. Covering it usually means selling ADA. Yield-as-inference lets the rewards a holder's stake earns pay that bill directly, while the ADA itself keeps securing the network and stays in the holder's wallet. For [treasuries](/yield/treasuries), that means part of the AI bill is covered without a spending proposal that touches principal. ## How does it work? 1. **Your wallet**: CIP-30: Lace, Eternl, Yoroi. ADA never leaves it. 2. **Delegation certificate**: On your stake key. One transaction. 3. **Gatewayz stake pool**: Mints blocks each epoch. Fixed cost + margin. 4. **Epoch accounting**: Fees actually received. Split by stake. 5. **Discount ledger**: 95% of your share, in USD. Non-transferable. 6. **Gatewayz API**: OpenAI + Anthropic formats. You pay 1% of list. Linking: CIP-8 signed message links your stake address to your Gatewayz account (no transaction). A holder links their stake address to a Gatewayz account with a CIP-8 signed message, which needs no transaction. Gatewayz records the pool fees it actually received for each finished epoch, splits them across linked wallets by stake, and credits each account 95% of its share in USD. Nothing is credited in advance or from a promised rate, and anyone can recompute their share from public chain data; see [Verify your discount](/yield/verify). ## Why Cardano first? Cardano delegation already has the properties this design needs: it is non-custodial, has no lock-up and no slashing, and takes one transaction from any CIP-30 wallet. Rewards follow stake snapshots on a fixed five-day epoch, which gives a clean accounting period. The [Cardano Developer Portal](https://developers.cardano.org/docs/developers/curriculum/staking-governance/staking/) states that delegated ADA is never at risk: an underperforming pool only costs that epoch's rewards. Other chains are on the [assets list](/yield/assets) as coming, each with its own trade-offs. ## What would we like from the ecosystem? - **Feedback** on the mechanism, the disclosures and the verify script, from anyone who reads it critically. - **Pilot treasuries** that hold ADA and pay a monthly AI bill. Today linking needs a key-hash stake address; script (multisig) stake addresses cannot be linked yet, and we would rather design that with pilots than guess. - **Stake pool operator conversations** about running the pool well and keeping the program healthy for decentralization, including how it should behave near [saturation](/yield/glossary#saturation). ## Frequently asked questions ### Is this endorsed by any Cardano organization? No. Gatewayz is an independent company, and this brief does not claim any partnership or endorsement. We are sharing it to ask for feedback. ### Does the program touch holders' ADA? No. Delegation is a certificate on the holder's own stake key. The ADA stays in their wallet and can be spent at any time; Gatewayz has no way to move it. ### Who can take part? Anyone outside the United States and Canada. Every participant confirms they are not a US or Canadian person before linking a wallet. ### When will it launch on mainnet? There is no date yet. The program stays switched off on mainnet until the preprod demo has been reviewed with early users and partners. ## Get in touch Tell us who you are and what you would like to explore: a demo, a pilot, an operator conversation or plain feedback. Apply for the demo at https://www.gatewayz.ai/yield#apply, or write to hello@gatewayz.ai. Not available to US or Canadian persons. Every participant must confirm they are not a US or Canadian person before linking a wallet. ## Sources - [Cardano Developer Portal: Staking](https://developers.cardano.org/docs/developers/curriculum/staking-governance/staking/), as of 2026-10-28 - [Cardano.org Glossary: Staking](https://cardano.org/glossary/staking/), as of 2026-10-28 ## Related - [Your yield pays for your AI.](https://www.gatewayz.ai/yield) - [How yield-as-inference works](https://www.gatewayz.ai/yield/how-it-works) - [Pay your team's AI costs with treasury staking rewards](https://www.gatewayz.ai/yield/treasuries) - [Verify your discount from public chain data](https://www.gatewayz.ai/yield/verify) - [The risks of ADA delegation with Gatewayz](https://www.gatewayz.ai/yield/risks) - [Is delegating ADA to a stake pool safe?](https://www.gatewayz.ai/yield/security) --- Discounts are a share of staking rewards Gatewayz actually received, can change at any time, and are not a guaranteed return. Not available to US or Canadian persons. Every participant must confirm they are not a US or Canadian person before linking a wallet. Not investment, legal or tax advice. Figures as of 2026-10-27. Updated 2026-10-28. Canonical page: https://www.gatewayz.ai/yield/brief