CryptoGal Glossary
Gas Fees
The small network fee you pay to have a crypto transaction processed on a blockchain.
Every crypto transaction uses network resources, and the people who run the network are paid for processing it. That payment is called a gas fee. It is not a fee to any company. It is the cost of getting your transaction confirmed.
Why it changes
When the network is busy, gas fees rise. When it is quiet, they drop. Different blockchains have very different fee levels, which is part of why people talk about “layer twos” and cheaper networks.
Practical tips
Check the fee before you confirm any send. If a fee looks unusually high, wait or use a network with lower costs. Never let panic or urgency push you into a transaction you do not fully understand.