GlossaryIntermediate
Gas Fee
A fee paid to compensate a network for the computing resources used to process a transaction.
A gas fee is a cost paid by users to have their transaction processed and included on certain blockchains. It compensates the network participants who provide the computing resources needed to validate and record transactions.
Gas fees can rise or fall depending on how much demand there is for space in upcoming blocks, meaning the same transaction can cost more or less at different times.
Examples
- Sending a token on a busy network may require a higher gas fee than sending it during a quiet period.
- A smart contract interaction typically requires more gas than a simple transfer, since it involves more computation.