Every transaction on a blockchain requires a network fee, sometimes called gas. This fee goes to the validators who process and confirm your transaction. It does not go to Phantom. You pay this fee in the network's native token, such as SOL on Solana or ETH on Ethereum.
I was charged a fee but my transaction failed. Is that normal?
Yes. If your transaction fails, you still pay the network fee. Validators used computational resources to attempt your transaction, just as they would for a successful one. Fees are non-refundable regardless of outcome.
How much native token should I keep on hand?
These are estimates. You may need more depending on network congestion, transaction type, or smart contract complexity.
| Network | Suggested native token amount |
|---|---|
| Solana | 0.02 SOL (some swaps and sends can be gasless) |
| Ethereum | 0.002 ETH |
| Base | 0.002 Base ETH |
| Polygon | 0.5 POL (or MATIC) |
| Sui | 0.05 SUI |
| Bitcoin | 500 satoshis |
| Monad | 0.002 MON |
| HyperEVM | 0.01 HYPE |
You pay fees in the network's native token, such as SOL on Solana or ETH on Ethereum. You cannot pay fees in USDC, stablecoins, or other assets on the same network. If you do not have enough native token in your wallet, your transaction will not go through.
Why are fees so high right now?
Fees fluctuate based on network congestion. A spike usually means high demand from events like a popular NFT drop or a major DeFi event, or because your transaction involves a complex smart contract. If your transaction is not urgent, waiting until off-peak hours such as early mornings in UTC can result in lower fees.
I'm bridging tokens. Do I pay fees twice?
Yes. Bridging across networks requires fees on both the source and destination networks.
How fees work by network
Solana
Fixed-fee model. Most transactions cost less than 0.000005 SOL. Phantom sets the fee automatically. For certain tokens, gasless swaps and sends deduct the fee from the token you are swapping into or sending rather than from your SOL balance. See About gasless transactions on Solana in Phantom.
Bitcoin
Fees are based on transaction size in vBytes and current congestion. You can choose a speed or speed up a pending transaction. See Increase the network fee to speed up a transaction.
Ethereum and EVM-compatible networks (Base, Polygon, Monad, HyperEVM)
These use a gas-based model with three components: a base fee (the minimum required per gas unit, burned on Ethereum), an optional priority fee (a tip to process your transaction faster), and a gas limit (the maximum units you are willing to spend). Phantom sets these automatically. If your transaction uses less gas than expected, the difference is refunded. You can also manually adjust speed for pending transactions. See Increase the network fee to speed up a transaction.
Sui
Dynamic fees based on network load and transaction complexity, paid in SUI and estimated automatically by Phantom.
Why network fees exist
Fees secure the network and compensate validators for the computational work involved in processing transactions, storing data, and updating balances. Phantom does not set or control network fees.