Transaction Fees
What is the fee charged for sending funds?
You only have to pay a network (blockchain) fee for the transfer, which miners or validators receive as compensation for processing the transaction. No additional commission is charged when sending funds from your Tangem Wallet.
The specific commission amount depends on the network used; for instance, the Bitcoin network will have a different fee compared to the Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, or Litecoin networks.
This fee may fluctuate based on market demand and current network capacity. You can find the fee amount indicated on the Send page. Enter the recipient's address and amount to view the network fee.
How can I pay network fees without native coins?
What are smart gas transactions?
Smart gas transactions allow you to pay network fees using USDT or USDC instead of the network’s native coin. This helps you complete a transaction even if you don’t have the native coin required for gas.
How does it work?
The feature is powered by a smart contract that has passed an independent security audit by Pessimistic, a well-known blockchain security firm. You can review the audit report here: Tangem Gassless Transactions Security Analysis by Pessimistic.
When confirming a transaction, Tangem automatically selects the available fee payment option. If you don’t have enough native coins to pay the network fee, the app will use USDT or USDC by default, when supported.
You can manually change the fee payment currency in the Network fee line if you prefer a different option.
The process works as follows:
- USDT or USDC is automatically selected as the fee payment currency.
- Tangem pays the network fee in the native coin (ETH, MATIC, etc.).
- An equivalent amount is deducted from your balance in the selected stablecoin.
- The conversion is done 1:1 with no markup.
From the user’s perspective, this all happens automatically — no manual swaps or extra steps are required.
Where is this feature available?
Paying network fees without native coins is available only in supported networks and transaction types. Currently supported networks:
- Ethereum
- BNB Smart Chain
- Polygon
- Arbitrum
- Base
The feature is available in Send, Swap and Send via Swap.
Note: The conversion rate is calculated automatically using data from CoinGecko.
What should I do if there are insufficient funds for paying network fees in my wallet?
When transferring tokens on a blockchain, network fees are usually charged in the network’s native coin, not in the token you are sending.
For example:
- on BNB Smart Chain, fees are paid in BNB;
- on TRON, fees are paid in TRX;
- on Ethereum, fees are paid in ETH.
In some supported networks, Tangem Wallet also allows you to pay network fees using USDT or USDC instead of the native coin. This option is available only in specific networks and will be shown automatically if supported for your transaction.
If you don’t have enough native coins or eligible tokens (USDT/USDC) to cover the fee, you’ll need to top up your balance before completing the transaction.
What does "Fee exceeds balance" mean?
"Fees exceed balance" means that you don’t have enough funds to cover the network fee for the transaction.
By default, network fees are charged in the native coin of the network. For example:
- BNB for BNB Smart Chain,
- TRX for TRON,
- ETH for Ethereum.
In some supported networks, Tangem Wallet also allows you to pay network fees using USDT or USDC instead of the native coin. This option is available only in specific networks and will be shown automatically if supported for your transaction.
If you don’t have enough native coins or eligible tokens (USDT/USDC) to cover the fee, you’ll need to top up your balance before completing the transaction.
How do I choose a network fee?
The network fee determines the priority of your transfer in the queue of unconfirmed transactions. Miners prioritize transactions with higher fees to include them in the block first, resulting in faster processing. If speed is not a priority, you can set a lower fee to save money.
Tangem offers three fee levels based on the current network load: Slow, Market, and Fast. Alternatively, you can set your own network fee for your transaction.
In supported networks, you can additionally choose the currency used to pay the fee (native coin or USDT/USDC). The app automatically shows only the options available for your balance and the selected network.
The app calculates the fee based on network load, transaction volume, and execution priority. If you choose to set the fee yourself, make sure it's sufficient for confirmation; a low fee may hinder the transaction from being confirmed.
You can find more information about network commissions in our blog post: What is a Transaction Fee in Crypto and How is it Calculated.
How are fees charged on the Arbitrum network?
Arbitrum One (ETH) is the native coin of Ethereum on the Arbitrum network. When you conduct transactions on the Arbitrum network, fees are charged in Arbitrum One (ETH) instead of the specific token being transferred.
To add funds to your Arbitrum One (ETH) wallet, you can buy ETH on an exchange and then transfer the tokens to your wallet on the Arbitrum network.
How are fees charged on the Base network?
Base (ETH) is Ethereum on the Base network and serves as its native coin. When you conduct transactions on the Base network, fees are charged in Base (ETH) instead of the specific token you are transferring.
To replenish your Base (ETH) wallet, you can purchase ETH from an exchange and then transfer the tokens to your wallet on the Base network.
How are fees charged on the Optimistic Ethereum network?
Optimistic Ethereum (ETH) refers to Ethereum on the Optimistic Ethereum network, which is its native coin. When you conduct transactions on the Optimistic Ethereum network, fees are charged in Optimistic Ethereum (ETH) instead of the specific token you are transferring.
To add funds to your Optimistic Ethereum (ETH) wallet, you can buy ETH from an exchange and then transfer the tokens to your wallet on the Optimistic Ethereum network.