⛽️ What is a Gas Fee?

Gas Fee is the “transaction fee” you must pay when using a blockchain network. Think of it like paying a taxi fare 🚕 or postage 📦 — it’s an essential cost for keeping the blockchain functioning smoothly.

🧾 In One Sentence

Gas fees are the fees you pay 💸 to miners or validators to process your transactions on the blockchain. They confirm your actions by “packing blocks,” and the gas is the “fuel” 🔋 required to get your transaction through.

❓ Why is it called “Gas”?

Just like cars need gas ⛽️ to move, blockchain networks need “Gas” to power transactions and smart contract executions. Without gas, transactions won’t be confirmed, and smart contracts won’t run.

⚙️ Key Roles of Gas Fees

💰 Incentivize nodes: Reward miners/validators for confirming your transactions

🚫 Prevent spam: Discourages users from flooding the network with useless transactions

📈 Manage network load: Fees increase during congestion to prioritize higher-value transactions

🧩 Which Actions Require Gas Fees?

📌 Any time you interact with the blockchain, you’re likely to pay a gas fee.

💱 Which Tokens Are Used to Pay Gas?

⚠️ Before making a transaction, always keep enough native tokens in your wallet to cover gas.

📊 Why Do Gas Fees Change?

Gas fees fluctuate due to:

🔥 Network congestion (e.g. during NFT/game launches)

🏁 Priority: Higher gas = faster processing

⚙️ Blockchain design: Some chains (like Ethereum) have higher base costs than others (like Solana)

🧪 Example: Swapping on Uniswap Using MetaMask

You swap 100 USDC for another token. The prompt shows:

• 💵 Amount: 100 USDC

• ⛽ Estimated Gas Fee: 0.003 ETH (~$10)

🔐 After confirmation, your wallet deducts:

• 100 USDC (to the counterparty)

• 0.003 ETH (to the miner as gas)

📋 Quick Summary