Gas Fees
Transaction costs paid to a blockchain's validators or miners — the price of bandwidth on the network.
Gas is the fee a blockchain charges for executing a transaction or smart-contract call, paid in the chain’s native token. Busy networks command higher fees; simple transfers cost less than complex contract interactions.
What drives gas
Every operation consumes computing capacity (“gas units”). Users compete to pay more to get in the next block; when demand spikes, so do fees. Layer 2 solutions and alternative chains exist largely to make transactions cheaper.
Why it matters
Fees determine who can actually use a chain. Astronomical fees lock out users and push activity elsewhere; near-zero fees can indicate a quiet, centralized network. Fee levels are a practical filter in any chain comparison.
Related terms
Layer 1, Layer 2, Rollup, Smart Contract, Node