Smart Contract Royalties
Smart Contract Royalties: Automated Creator Payments
Smart contract royalties automatically pay creators a percentage every time their NFTs are resold. It’s like having a永続 commission that follows your work forever.
Smart contract royalties are automated payment mechanisms built into NFT contracts that send a percentage of each resale back to the original creator. These payments happen automatically through code, ensuring creators benefit from secondary market appreciation.
How Smart Contract Royalties Work
Embedded logic in NFT smart contracts specifies royalty percentages and recipient addresses that execute automatically during transfers or sales.
Marketplace integration enables platforms like OpenSea to read royalty information and automatically deduct payments during transactions.
Perpetual payments continue for as long as the NFT exists and gets traded, providing ongoing income streams for creators beyond initial sales.
Real-World Examples
- Art NFTs typically include 5-10% royalties that pay artists on every resale
- Music NFTs enable musicians to earn from secondary market trading of their work
- Gaming assets provide ongoing revenue to developers when players trade items
Why Beginners Should Care
Creator sustainability enables artists and developers to build long-term businesses rather than relying only on initial sales revenue.
Buyer transparency as royalty information is visible before purchase, allowing collectors to understand the full cost structure.
Enforcement challenges since some marketplaces have started making royalties optional, potentially undermining creator income expectations.
Related Terms: NFT, Smart Contract, Creator Economy, Secondary Market