Current data indicates that
#Bitcoin miners are currently the primary beneficiaries of exceptionally high transaction fees, but many market participants have little time to complain.
According to statistical data from BitInfoCharts, the average transaction fee as of December 17th was nearly $40.
The recent surge in Bitcoin Ordinals registrations has led to an increase in transaction fees for all network participants, although some believe they will remain.
BitInfoCharts reports that sending BTC on-chain now costs over $37, marking the highest average value since April 2021.
Bitcoin average on-chain transaction fee chart (screenshot). Source: BitInfoCharts
Data from Mempool.space shows that the Bitcoin mempool, a queue of unconfirmed and unprocessed transactions on the blockchain, is extensive, resulting in low-fee transactions (even $2 without priority processing) remaining unconfirmed.
At the time of writing this article, almost 350,000 transactions await confirmation.
Bitcoin mempool data (screenshot). Source: Mempool.space
For many smaller investors, sending Bitcoin on-chain is becoming nearly impractical, sparking heated debates among Bitcoin supporters.
While many are frustrated by the high fees caused by Ordinals, some argue that double-digit transaction costs are just the beginning. Those looking to safeguard their transactions must adopt Layer 2 solutions, such as the Lightning Network, designed specifically for mass adoption.
A popular commentator known as Hodlonaut stated, "The fees are currently temporarily high due to the growing popularity of digital art, but they are nothing more than a glimpse into the future. Layer 1 cannot scale."
Hodlonaut further argued that demanding low-level 1 fees is "not only uninformed but also an attack on Bitcoin itself."
This reflects Bitcoin's nature as a competition-based network that gains value over time, as defined by the proof-of-work mechanism. Maintaining low fees has its controversies, and the history of Bitcoin network hard forks, designed precisely to preserve low fees, has shown that this strategy does not attract value.
Bitcoin miner revenue chart (screenshot). Source: Blockchain.com
Miners have recorded their highest earnings in USD in the last two years. Currently, miners' earnings, including mining rewards and transaction fees, have reached a historical high of $69,000, last seen in November 2021.
BTC/USD was trading at approximately $42,000 at the weekly close on December 17th, according to data from
#Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView.
#crypto2023 #BinanceTournament Notice:
,,The information and views presented in this article are intended solely for educational purposes and should not be taken as investment advice in any situation. The content of these pages should not be regarded as financial, investment, or any other form of advice. We caution that investing in cryptocurrencies can be risky and may lead to financial losses.“