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CPM, live estimates and final payouts

Ripple campaigns pay creators in CAD using a CPM: an amount per 1,000 eligible verified views. Before launching a campaign, each studio sets a campaign CPM (minimum $7 CAD, in whole dollars) and a mandatory maximum payout per creator (CAD).

This page explains the payment model for both studios and creators. It is an operational guide, not tax, legal or financial advice.

The CPM model

Section titled “The CPM model”

CPM means cost per mille: the amount paid for every 1,000 eligible verified views. All campaign budgets, CPMs, payout caps and creator payouts on Ripple are denominated in CAD.

For each published, eligible submission, views are the sum of the latest verified counters of its attached published platform videos. Only complete blocks of 1,000 views earn a milestone:

submission earnings before the cap = floor(submission views / 1,000) × campaign CPM

creator payout = min(sum of eligible submission earnings, Max Payout Per Creator)

The rounding happens separately for each submission. At a $7 CAD CPM, two submissions with 484 and 1,650 views generate $0 + $7 = $7 CAD. A single submission with 2,134 combined platform views generates $14 CAD. A submission with 951 TikTok views and 2,383 YouTube views has 3,334 views and generates $21 CAD, before the creator cap.

The Max Payout Per Creator (CAD) is shared across the creator’s submissions in the campaign. Milestones are credited in the order in which they are observed; the last credit is limited to the amount left under that cap. Once the cap is reached, each submission keeps its allocated estimated amount and shows Max payout reached, even as its views continue increasing.

Ripple records individual milestones and the source video observations used to calculate them. The submission’s activity log groups credited milestones by day and shows separate entries when earnings stop or resume. Dates show when a platform observation revealed a milestone, not the exact moment the thousandth view occurred.

If a submission becomes ineligible before final settlement, its credits are removed. Other eligible submissions can earn again up to the creator cap, including milestones that were previously blocked by that cap. Adjustments and resumed earnings remain visible in the activity log. Live estimates are still subject to review; a candidate already frozen for payout review is not recalculated automatically.

What a live estimate means

Section titled “What a live estimate means”

Ripple updates available public platform data several times per day. A creator can therefore see an Estimated payout on a published submission while the campaign remains active.

It is a working estimate, not a final payment confirmation. It can change when:

  • new verified view data becomes available;
  • a video is attached across more than one accepted platform;
  • the creator’s payout cap is reached; or
  • the submission becomes ineligible under the campaign rules.

Studios can use the same live data to monitor campaign spend. Neither side should interpret an estimate as a completed Stripe transfer.

When a payout becomes eligible for processing

Section titled “When a payout becomes eligible for processing”

Ripple does not initiate creator payouts while the campaign is still running. The normal sequence is:

  1. The creator’s submission is approved and published in line with the campaign rules.
  2. Ripple collects available performance data and calculates a live estimate.
  3. The campaign ends automatically at its scheduled end date.
  4. Ripple completes its campaign-level review and settlement process.
  5. A payout record is created for eligible work and is sent through Stripe Connect when the creator’s payout setup is active.

For each published video, the studio can raise a substantial concern while the campaign is active (before its end date). A concern can pause the affected payout while Ripple reviews the case. This process is for material compliance or performance concerns, not normal creative preference.

Ripple does not currently promise a fixed settlement date after a campaign ends.

What makes a video ineligible

Section titled “What makes a video ineligible”

A video can lose payout eligibility when a campaign rule is materially breached. Important examples include:

  • publication before an embargo lifts; or
  • artificially inflating views with bots, bought traffic or similar manipulation.

Read View verification and payout eligibility for how Ripple handles view data and Campaign disputes and Ripple review for the escalation process.

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