#CryptoSecurity101 💸 Crypto Fees 101 — Understand What You're Really Paying For
Every time you trade, send, or interact with crypto, fees are involved. Here’s a clear, beginner-friendly guide to crypto fees, why they matter, and how to minimize them.
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🔍 Main Types of Crypto Fees
1. Trading Fees (Exchange Fees)
What it is: Charged when you buy/sell crypto on an exchange.
Where: Binance, Coinbase, Bybit, KuCoin, etc.
Types:
Maker Fee: You add liquidity (e.g., place a limit order)
Taker Fee: You remove liquidity (e.g., market order)
> 💡 Taker fees are usually higher than maker fees.
Role Action Example Typical Fee
Maker Limit order Buy BTC at $65,000 ~0.01–0.1%
Taker Market order Buy BTC immediately ~0.04–0.2%
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2. Network Fees (Blockchain Fees / Gas Fees)
What it is: Paid to miners or validators to process your transaction on a blockchain.
Where: Sending crypto to a wallet, using DeFi, NFTs, DEXs.
Depends on: The blockchain's congestion and type of transaction.
Blockchain Typical Fee Range Notes
Bitcoin $1–$20+ Slower, spikes during congestion
Ethereum $5–$100+ (gas) High during NFT/DeFi rushes
Solana <$0.01 Very low fees
Polygon <$0.10 Cheap alternative to Ethereum
BSC ~$0.10–$0.30 Common in Binance ecosystem
> ⚠️ Never send tokens to the wrong network (e.g., ETH to BSC) or you'll lose them!
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3. Withdrawal Fees
What it is: Charged by exchanges when moving funds off-platform.
Fixed amount per asset (not percentage).
Varies by network.
Asset Network Typical Fee
USDT ERC-20 ~$10–$20
USDT TRC-20 ~$1
BTC Bitcoin ~$5–$20
BNB BSC <$1
> ✅ Use cheaper networks (like TRC-20, BEP-20) when available to reduce fees.
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4. Other Fees
Fee Type When It Applies Notes
Deposit Fee Rare (some platforms with fiat) Usually free in crypto
Swap Fee DEXs like Uniswap, PancakeSwap ~0.1–0.3% per trade
Slippage Not a fee, but a price loss Bigger in low liquidity
Staking/Unstaking Fee Some DeFi protocols Watch out for lock periods too
