Crypto Fees Ride Low: Onchain Bitcoin and Ethereum Costs Dip Below $2

Over the past 30 days, Bitcoin and Ethereum network fees have remained relatively modest, even as prices have experienced an upward trend. During the first week of 2025, the average transaction fee on the Bitcoin network was $1.40. In comparison, Ethereum onchain fees were slightly lower during the first six days of January, reflecting a similarly subdued pattern.

January 2025 Kickoff: Bitcoin Fees Drop to $1.40, Ethereum Stays Modest

Fees directed to miners and validators on the Bitcoin and Ethereum networks have begun the year at under $2 per transaction for average payments per transfer. Currently, transacting on the Bitcoin network costs an average of 0.000013 BTC, equivalent to $1.34, translating to roughly 5 satoshis per virtual byte. This figure is half the average fee recorded over the past 30 days.

Average Bitcoin network fees according to ycharts.com.

From Dec. 7, 2024, to Jan. 5, 2025, the monthly average fee stood at approximately $3.085 per transaction. However, the opening five days of 2025 have been markedly lower, with an average fee of $1.406 per transfer on the Bitcoin blockchain. The peak fee in the past 30 days reached $5.927 on Dec. 2, 2024, while the lowest, apart from today, Jan. 6, 2025, was $1.431 on Nov. 17, 2024.

Average Ethereum network fees according to ycharts.com.

Ethereum transaction fees have consistently been lower than Bitcoin’s, with the 30-day average standing at $1.093 per transaction. Over the first five days of 2025, the average fee edged slightly higher, reaching $1.104. On Dec. 9, 2024, Ethereum recorded its highest fee in the past 30 days at $1.606, while the lowest onchain fee during this period was $0.7158 on Nov. 29, 2024. As of Jan. 6, 2025, the average fee is 19.76 gwei, translating to $1.88 per transaction.

These figures solely represent the cost of transferring ether and do not include decentralized exchange (dex) swaps, which currently average $27.97 per transaction on Ethereum. Onchain NFT sales incur a fee of approximately $47.26 per sale, while bridging costs hover around $8.99. Although Bitcoin network fees have decreased since mid-Dec., the backlog of unconfirmed transactions has slightly risen to 189,794. Meanwhile, users are paying a more modest median fee of $0.57 per onchain Bitcoin transfer.