Gelato Network is a decentralized smart contract automation protocol founded in 2020 by Hilmar Orth and Luis Schliesske, headquartered in Berlin. Gelato enables developers to automate smart contract function calls — tasks that need to happen automatically based on time, price conditions, or on-chain state changes — without requiring a centralized server to trigger transactions. Gelato runs a network of executors (bots) that monitor conditions and execute contract calls on behalf of protocols, serving as the automation layer for DeFi protocols, NFT projects, and cross-chain applications across 30+ EVM-compatible chains.
Background
Smart contracts are passive by default — they execute code only when externally triggered by a transaction. Many DeFi protocols require recurring external calls: liquidations, yield harvesting, rebalancing, oracle updates, limit orders. Before Gelato, protocols had to run their own centralized keepers (bots) — introducing centralization risk and operational overhead. Gelato created a competitive, decentralized keeper network where multiple bots compete to execute tasks reliably.
Key Products
| Product | Description |
|---|---|
| Gelato Automate | Task scheduler for on-chain function execution (time-based and condition-based) |
| Gelato Web3 Functions | Off-chain JavaScript/TypeScript functions that run computation and post results on-chain |
| Gelato Relay | Gasless transaction service — users sign transactions without holding ETH for gas (meta-transactions) |
| 1Balance | Unified prepaid gas balance across all Gelato services and chains |
| Gelato VRF | Verifiable random function for provable smart contract randomness |
| ERC-2771 Relay | Standard meta-transaction relaying for gasless UX |
Use Cases
| Use Case | Example |
|---|---|
| Automated liquidations | MakerDAO-style vaults calling liquidation when collateral ratio falls |
| Yield harvesting | Auto-compounding yield aggregators calling harvest functions on schedule |
| Limit orders | DEX limit orders executing when price conditions are met |
| Cross-chain bridging | Triggering bridge claim transactions after finality |
| Gasless transactions | Letting new users interact with DApps without ETH for gas |
Account Abstraction Infrastructure
Gelato has become a major infrastructure provider for ERC-4337 Account Abstraction — specifically the bundler and paymaster infrastructure that enables smart contract wallets and gasless transactions. Gelato runs production bundlers and paymasters used by major account abstraction deployments.
Related Terms
Sources
- Gelato Network Website — product documentation.
- Gelato Docs — technical guides.