Crypto Fees: 2025 Transaction, Trading, and Withdrawal Costs
Written by
John Csiszar
Edited by
Nupur Gambhir
Commitment to Our Readers
GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.
20 Years
Helping You Live Richer
Reviewed
by Experts
Trusted by
Millions of Readers
Introduction to Crypto Fees
When trading cryptocurrency, the market price isn’t the only cost. Fees can increase expenses and cut into profits, so understanding how they’re calculated is key.
Types of Crypto Fees
Most crypto traders, users and owners encounter four main types of fees.
- Transaction fees: Transaction fees pay miners, stakers or validators for the essential blockchain maintenance they perform. Just as with traditional payment networks, transaction fee structures can vary dramatically from one decentralized network to another. For example, Bitcoin calculates fees based on its proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanism. Ethereum bases its fees on the costs of its proof-of-stake (PoS) structure.
- Trading fees: Exchanges charge fees for using their platforms to buy, sell and trade cryptocurrencies. Those who provide liquidity by placing limit orders pay (usually) lower “maker” fees. Traders who remove liquidity with market orders pay higher “taker” fees.
- Withdrawal fees: Users also pay to move crypto from exchanges to wallets and to withdraw funds as fiat currency. Like trading fees, withdrawal fees vary by currency and platform.
- Network Fees: Similar to transaction fees, blockchains use the network fees they collect to incentivize and compensate users for performing network housekeeping like validating and recording transactions. They’re commonly called gas fees.
How Are Crypto Fees Calculated?
Different networks consider different factors when calculating fees.
For example, Bitcoin bases its fees on network congestion and the transaction’s data volume. Ethereum, on the other hand, sets its costs where the minimum amount of gas needed to execute a transaction, called a base fee, intersects with the highest amount a user is willing to pay to execute a transaction, called a gas limit.
Ethereum and many others also allow for tipping — users can pay extra to incentivize validators with gratuity on top of the gas fees to prioritize their transactions.
Fee Structures for Trading on Exchanges
Some crypto exchanges use flat-rate fee systems that charge the same amount regardless of the trade size. Most, however, calculate fees as a percentage of the transaction’s total trade value, meaning larger trades cost more than smaller trades.
Crypto Fees on Exchanges
Here’s a look at the fee schedules of some of the most popular crypto exchanges. All fees shown are for the most basic membership level if part of a tiered structure. When available, VIP and premium subscriptions can buy you fee reductions.
| Exchange | Maker fee | Taker fee | Withdrawal fee |
| Binance | 0.10% for trading volumes under $1 million. | 0.10% for trading volumes under $1 million. | Varies by token and withdrawal method. |
| Coinbase | 0 bps to 40 bps, depending on tier. | 5 to 60 bps, depending on tier. | Free for ACH, $25 for wire transfers. |
| Kraken | 0% to 0.25%, depending on tier. | 0.10% to 0.40%, depending on tier. | Varies by token and withdrawal method. |
| Gemini | 0% to 0.20%, depending on tier. | 0.03% to .40%, depending on tier. | ACH and non-USD bank transfers are free. $25 for wire transfers. |
Low- and No-Fee Exchanges
Exchanges like MEXC, Lykke, Phemex, and Deribit offer low- or even no-fee crypto trading. If you choose a low-cost or zero-fee platform, it’s essential to consider factors like user experience, platform transparency, available deposit and withdrawal methods, supported coins and, most importantly, security.
Tips To Minimize Crypto Fees
It’s possible for cryptocurrency investors and users and to reduce the various fees they encounter with a few useful smart-trading strategies.
Choose the Right Platform
Take the time to research and compare the fee schedules of all the currencies and exchanges you’re considering. Use fee-friendly blockchains for transactions, read the fine print and consult external reviews to scour for hidden costs.
Time Your Transactions
If you choose a platform that ties its fees to network congestion levels, monitor the platform’s activity to identify high-traffic times and trade during off-peak hours instead. Optimize your wallet’s gas settings and consider using a gas tracker that supports your network of choice — Etherscan, for example, tells Ethereum users when congestion and gas prices are lowest.
Consolidate Transactions and Choose Limit Orders
Most networks incentivize limit orders by assigning them more forgiving maker fees, so utilize them whenever possible. Also, you can reduce fees by consolidating multiple transactions into larger batches instead of executing them individually.
Hidden Costs and Extra Fees To Watch Out For
Transaction, trading, withdrawal and network fees aren’t the only expenses crypto traders encounter.
- Deposit fees: Many platforms charge fees for depositing fiat currency or crypto into an exchange or for fiat-to-crypto conversions, including top names like Kraken, Binance Coinbase and Crypto.com.
- Inactivity fees: Some exchanges make users pay for letting an account go dormant.
- Dynamic network fees: Fluctuating network fees change according to network conditions. Their unpredictable nature can impact costs unexpectedly and make budgeting difficult.
