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According to recent data, bitcoin transaction fees have significantly increased since the first week of April. Metrics show that the average fee has escalated to 133 satoshis per virtual byte or $19.48 per transaction.
Bitcoin Fees Climb Steadily as Runes Protocol Launch Nears
The cost of sending bitcoin (BTC) onchain is climbing, with the halving expected after another 229 blocks are mined. As of April 18, 2024, approximately 164,000 transactions or 220 blocks worth of transfers are pending confirmation.
There has been an increase in transaction activity since April 4, and from April 7 onward, there have consistently been more than 450,000 confirmed transactions per day for the past 11 days. In a similar trend, the rise in transfer fees began 11 days ago, climbing from $2.86 per average transaction to $9.09 per transaction three days later.
By April 12, the average fee peaked at $24.39 per transaction. Currently, the average transfer fee remains at $19.48 per transaction or 133 satoshis per virtual byte (sats/vB). The median bitcoin fee is approximately $11.11 or 75.9 sats/vB, with transactions offering lower fees lining up, paying around 40 sats/vB, while those below this rate are delayed back into the mempool.
There has been an increase in Ordinal inscriptions over the past two weeks, and some attribute the fee increase to the excitement around the upcoming Runes protocol. Runes represents a new standard for creating fungible tokens on Bitcoin, utilizing a method distinct from BRC20 tokens.
The transfer of Ordinal inscriptions and BRC20 tokens has been a major factor in the rise of BTC fees this year, with some anticipating further increases post-Runes launch. Reports indicate that even Bitcoin’s testnet has experienced a significant fee increase due to Runes.
What do you think about the rising onchain fees before the halving? Share your thoughts and opinions about this subject in the comments section below.