Operators run GPU hardware on the Inference.net network to process AI inference jobs. By creating an operator pool and staking $INT-DEV tokens, you increase your chances of receiving jobs and earning rewards.

The Inference.net Staking Protocol is being tested on Solana Devnet with test tokens. These tokens have no monetary value and should not be used for real-world transactions or bought or sold by anyone.

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Prerequisites

Before setting up your operator pool:

  1. Ensure you have a funded Solana wallet with:
    • Some SOL for transaction fees
    • $INT-DEV tokens for the registration fee and initial stake
  2. Link your Solana wallet to your Inference.net account
  3. Have your GPU node running and connected to the network
Each wallet can create only one operator pool.

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Creating Your Operator Pool

An operator pool is your on-chain identity that manages stake, receives job allocations, and distributes rewards.

Important: Before continuing you must ensure your Solana wallet is set to use Solana Devnet. Please see the Wallet Setup guide for more information.

  1. Navigate to the Dashboard Wallets Page
  2. Click Connect Wallet in the top right
  3. Select your Solana wallet provider and approve the connection
  4. Link your wallet to your account

To create an operator pool, you must have a Solana wallet linked to your account. This wallet will be the admin wallet for your operator pool.

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Step 2: Create Operator Pool

  1. Navigate to Dashboard → Staking → Overview

  2. Click Create Operator Pool

  3. Review the registration fee requirement (paid in $INT-DEV tokens)

  4. Follow the steps to create your operator pool:

    Economic Settings:

    • Token Commission Rate: Percentage of token rewards you keep (0-100%)
    • USDC Commission Rate: Percentage of USDC revenue you keep (0-100%)
    • Allow Delegation: Whether to accept stake from other token holders
    • Auto Stake Fees: Automatically compound commission into your stake

    Payout Settings:

    • USDC Payout Wallet: Where to receive USDC commission and your share of revenue

    Profile Information:

    • Organization Name: Your operator pool’s display name
    • Website URL: Optional link to your website
    • Description: Brief description of your operation

  5. Review your settings and the registration fee

  6. Click Create Pool and approve the transaction in your wallet

Pool creation requires a registration fee in $INT-DEV tokens (non-refundable) and sufficient SOL for transaction fees. Finally, ensure no pool has already been created with the wallet you want to assign as the pool admin.

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Step 3: Stake Your Pool

Operators must stake a minimum amount (set globally by the protocol) before their pool can accept delegations. This ensures proper economic alignment.

  1. On your pool overview page, click Stake
  2. Enter at least the minimum required amount of $INT-DEV
  3. Review the transaction and click Confirm Stake
  4. Approve the transaction in your wallet

Until you meet the minimum stake requirement, your pool cannot accept delegations from other users. The more you stake beyond the minimum, the higher your priority for receiving inference jobs.

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Managing Your Pool

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Monitoring Performance

Your operator dashboard displays key metrics:

  • Total Pool Stake: Combined operator and delegator stake
  • Operator Stake: Your personal stake (must remain above minimum)
  • Token Commission Earned: Accumulated fees from token rewards
  • USDC Commission Earned: Accumulated fees from USDC revenue
  • USDC Revenue Share: Your proportional share of USDC revenue
  • Total Delegators: Number of external stakers

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Adjusting Settings

You can modify certain pool parameters after creation:

  1. Navigate to Dashboard → Staking → Settings
  2. Update available settings:
    • Token commission rate (changes apply next epoch when rewards are claimed for your pool)
    • USDC commission rate (changes apply next epoch when rewards are claimed for your pool)
    • Allow/disallow delegations
    • Auto-stake preferences
    • Profile information
    • USDC payout destination

Setting USDC commission below 100% enables revenue sharing with delegators, which can attract more stake to your pool.

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Withdrawing Rewards

Commission Fees (Token & USDC):

  • Both token and USDC commissions accrue on-chain
  • Click Withdraw Token Commission or Withdraw USDC Commission
  • Commissions are sent to your designated wallets

USDC Revenue Share:

  • As an operator, you also earn a proportional share of USDC revenue
  • This is separate from your commission and based on your stake in the pool
  • Click Withdraw USDC Earnings to claim your revenue share

Unstaking Process:

  1. Click Unstake on your pool overview
  2. Enter the amount to unstake
  3. Wait for the cooldown period (varies for operators vs delegators)
  4. Click Withdraw once the cooldown expires

Operators have a longer unstaking cooldown than delegators to ensure network stability.

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Advanced Management

Emergency Actions:

  • Change Admin: Transfer pool ownership to a new wallet
  • Change Staking Record: Update the operator stake wallet if compromised
  • Close Pool: Permanently close your operator pool (irreversible)

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Best Practices

  1. Meet Minimum Requirements: Ensure you maintain stake above the global minimum to keep accepting delegations
  2. Set Competitive Commissions: Balance earning potential with attractiveness to delegators for both token and USDC rates
  3. Consider Revenue Sharing: Lower USDC commission rates can attract more delegators
  4. Monitor Hardware: Ensure your GPUs maintain high uptime for better reputation scores
  5. Engage Delegators: Provide clear communication about your operation and performance

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Troubleshooting

GPU Not Detected:

  • Ensure latest GPU drivers are installed
  • Verify node has proper system permissions
  • Check that your GPU model is supported

Cannot Create Pool:

  • Verify wallet has sufficient $INT-DEV for registration fee
  • Ensure wallet has sufficient SOL for transaction fees
  • Check that this wallet hasn’t already created a pool
  • Ensure wallet is properly linked to your account
  • Verify pool creation is currently enabled

Cannot Accept Delegations:

  • Ensure you’ve staked at least the minimum required amount
  • Check that delegations are enabled in your pool settings
  • Verify your pool is not halted

Stake Transaction Fails:

  • Confirm sufficient $INT-DEV token balance
  • Ensure you’re not violating minimum stake requirements
  • Try refreshing and reconnecting your wallet

For additional support, join our Discord and open a support ticket.