What are crypto gas fees?
A gas fee is what a blockchain charges to include your transaction in a block. It is paid to the validators who process and secure the network, and it is always paid in that network's own coin.
What the fee actually pays for
Every transaction uses computing work and block space. Gas measures that work, and the fee is the price of the work you asked the network to do.
Sending a coin is cheap work. Interacting with a smart contract, such as moving a token or approving a swap, is heavier work and costs more.
Why fees go up and down
Block space is limited. When many people transact at the same time, they bid higher fees to be included sooner, so the same transfer can cost more at busy hours than at quiet ones.
Layer-2 networks such as Base, and networks such as Polygon, BNB Smart Chain, Solana and TON, are usually far cheaper than Ethereum mainnet.
Each network charges its own coin
Ethereum and Base charge ETH, BNB Smart Chain charges BNB, Polygon charges POL, Core charges CORE, Solana charges SOL, TRON burns TRX for energy and bandwidth, and TON charges TON coin.
This is why a wallet full of stablecoins can still be unable to transact: stablecoins cannot pay the fee.
Common questions
Can I pay gas fees with USDT?
Not on the networks Nuyis Gas supports. Each blockchain deducts its fee in its own native coin, so you need a small balance of that coin.
Who receives the gas fee?
The validators or miners who process and secure the network, plus a portion that some networks burn. Nuyis Gas does not receive the network fee.