In 2026, a standard ETH transfer costs approximately $0.004 to $0.20 depending on how quickly you need confirmation. During rare peak congestion events, fees can climb to $5–$50.
Cost by Transaction Type (Current Rates)
Simple ETH Transfer: 21,000 gas = ~$0.004
ERC-20 Token Transfer: 65,000 gas = ~$0.013
Uniswap V3 Swap: ~150,000 gas = ~$0.045
NFT Mint: 100,000–300,000 gas = $0.02–$0.06
Smart Contract Deploy: 500,000+ gas = $0.10+
What Makes ETH Transfers Expensive?
Transfer costs spike when demand exceeds available block space — during major NFT launches, DeFi events, or bull market trading frenzies. The EIP-1559 base fee adjusts automatically: if blocks exceed 50% full, the base fee increases; if below 50%, it decreases.
Layer-2 as the Affordable Alternative
For frequent transfers, Layer-2 networks like Arbitrum, Optimism, and Base offer near-identical functionality at a fraction of the cost — typically $0.001–$0.01 per transfer, inheriting Ethereum's security while dramatically reducing individual transaction costs.