Bitcoin transaction fees experienced a rollercoaster ride recently, reaching unprecedented highs before swiftly plummeting. Following Bitcoin’s fourth halving, the average transaction fee skyrocketed to a staggering $128.45, only to dramatically fall to $34.8 the next day. This fluctuation highlights the volatile nature of the cryptocurrency market.
Data from YCharts reveals a significant surge in BTC transaction fees, with April 20 witnessing a remarkable $81 million in total fees, a substantial increase from the previous day’s $7.7 million. However, on April 21, total fees dropped to $22.37 million, showcasing the swift reversal.
The surge in fees was closely linked to the introduction of Casey Rodarmor’s Runes protocol, sparking a frenzy of activity as users rushed to create rune-based meme coins. This sudden demand for transactions led to a surge in fees but quickly subsided, emphasizing the dynamic and rapidly evolving landscape of cryptocurrencies like BTC.
Bitcoin Fees Swing: From Sky-High to Rock Bottom
Bitcoin transaction fees experienced a dramatic turnaround just a day after hitting an all-time high average of $128 on April 20, coinciding with the fourth Bitcoin halving. According to mempool.space, fees plummeted to an average of $8–$10 for medium-priority transactions by April 21.
On the day of the halving, Bitcoin recorded a staggering $78.3 million in total fees, surpassing Ethereum by over 24 times, as reported by Crypto Fees. The highlight was the inclusion of a remarkable 37.7 BTC ($2.4 million) paid to Bitcoin miner ViaBTC in the halving block at height 840,000, marking a historic moment in the network’s 15-year history.
The demand surge at block 840,000 was fueled by enthusiasts vying for rare satoshis through the newly launched Runes protocol, resulting in 3,050 transactions being processed in that block, with users paying an average of just under $800.
Although block fees remained higher than usual until around block 840,200, they have since stabilized at around 1–2 BTC. Initially shielded from the effects of the subsidy halving, miners are now feeling the impact as average block fees fall below 3.125 BTC.
Despite this, Bitcoin has maintained its dominance over Ethereum in transaction fees for six consecutive days, with a seven-day average of $17.8 million. The halving event had a negligible effect on Bitcoin’s price, which has risen 1.5% to $64,840, according to CoinGecko.