Onchain Transfer Costs Remain Low: Bitcoin and Ethereum Users Enjoy Minimal Fees

Recent analyses confirm that onchain transactions for both Bitcoin and Ethereum have sustained minimal fee structures. Data reveals the Ethereum network’s transaction costs have hovered below 1 gwei, while Bitcoin’s protocol activity has experienced a marginal uptick in volume.

Low-Cost Blockchain Activity

On March 15, 2025, prioritizing speed for ether transactions carries a modest cost of roughly 1.53 gwei ($0.05), while standard or slower transfers glide in at 1.07 to 0.57 gwei ($0.03 to $0.02). Ethereum’s network typically maintains a steady rhythm of 1 million to 1.358 million daily transactions, a trend holding strong for months.

Activities like decentralized exchange (DEX) swaps, non-fungible token ($NFT) sales, bridging, and borrowing continue to boast minimal costs. Swapping tokens on the $ETH network currently demands about $0.81 for expedited processing, though savvy users can secure a trade for as little as $0.30.

$NFT enthusiasts eyeing swift sales this weekend might spend $1.38 for priority, but many manage with $0.51. Bridging assets costs a mere $0.10, and engaging borrowing protocols requires $0.69.

Moving $ETH outright is always cheaper than interacting with smart contracts, a gap tied to differences in computational resources required for these actions on the network. Over the past 30 days, Bitcoin’s daily transaction volume hovers between 300,000 to 530,000 transfers.

The mempool—or pending transaction queue—remains virtually clear at 13,089 unconfirmed transactions as of 5:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. Data from mempool.space highlights that a high-priority-speed transfer costs 2 satoshis per virtual byte (sat/vB), translating to $0.24. The average bitcoin fee paid rests around 0.000012 $BTC (4.9 sat/vB), which equates to approximately $1.03 based on current $BTC exchange rates.

Sustained low fees for Bitcoin and Ethereum network transactions showcase an interesting period across both protocols, reflecting modest demand and optimal conditions for users. As users navigate swaps, $NFT trades, and bridging with minimal $ETH costs, the current environment presents an opportune moment for seamless blockchain interactions.

This pattern holds true for Bitcoin’s ecosystem as well, where transactions mirror the lower fee dynamics observed in Ethereum. Whether this trend persists will depend on shifting market dynamics and network congestion.