Why are UniSwap Fees So High? (2024)

Crypto investors who use UniSwap will notice fees are ridiculously high right now. Here's why that's happening.

Why are UniSwap Fees So High? (1)

By Mark Prvulovic

May 14 2021, Published 4:16 a.m. ET

Why are UniSwap Fees So High? (2)

UniSwap is easily the most popular decentralized exchange (DEX) on the market right now. Unlike centralized exchanges, which have a much smaller, curated selection of tokens, almost anyone can set up a coin and trade it on UniSwap. For that reason, most serious altcoin and meme coin traders gravitate to the exchange. However, many traders have recently noticed fees on UniSwap are unusually high.

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There are a few reasons why fees are currently so steep. UniSwap has its own platform fees, but often traders are paying an arm and a leg for gas fees as well as slippage margins.

Why are UniSwap Fees So High? (3)

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How do UniSwap fees work?

UniSwap fees can be broken into a few categories. The first is called the liquidity pool fee, which is a flat platform fee for swapping any two cryptocurrencies on the platform. For end-users, think of this like your standard transaction fee on a regular broker. On UniSwap, this is just 0.3 percent.

The next (and probably the biggest) fees you face are gas fees. UniSwap has no control over gas fees which are entirely due to Ethereum's congestion issues. Gas is used to pay for transactions of all cryptocurrencies built on the Ethereum blockchain. Considering how popular Ethereum has become, not to mention the rise of ERC-20 altcoins and Ethereum-based NFTs, it’s not surprising the Ethereum blockchain can’t handle this traffic.

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Unlike major credit card companies, which can process thousands of transactions a second, Ethereum can only process 14 transactions per second. Gas fees are skyrocketing because demand for transaction bandwidth is crazy high, while the supply remains steady. The planned Ethereum 2.0 upgrade could radically lower gas fees, but we won’t see a full launch until later this year. For most crypto traders, gas fees are the biggest reason why it seems like fees are so high on UniSwap.

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What are slippage fees?

The last type of fee you’ll see on UniSwap is called slippage.You see this in regular financial markets as well, but mainly with stocks that have low trading volumes. When a big buyer or seller makes a trade, this causes a movement in the price of said asset, or slippage.

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If you’re trading large quantities of small, obscure altcoins, you’ll cause prices to fluctuate as a result of your trades. For that reason, slippage might be eating into your trading profits. That’s likely not the case if you’re just a small-time trader. However, having high slippage fees will help process your transaction faster in case prices fluctuate a lot during your trade.

How to lower your trading fees

The only real way to lower your trading fees is by trading during off-peak hours. During the morning between 12 a.m. and 8 a.m. ET, gas fees tend to be lower as there’s less demand. Sunday also tends to have lower gas fees compared to the rest of the week.

As a seasoned cryptocurrency enthusiast and expert, I've closely followed the developments in the crypto space, including decentralized exchanges (DEX) like UniSwap. My extensive knowledge is built on a foundation of active participation, research, and analysis within the crypto ecosystem.

The article in question discusses the unusually high fees on UniSwap, a platform I'm well-acquainted with. UniSwap has positioned itself as the leading decentralized exchange, offering a vast array of tokens for trading, which attracts serious altcoin and meme coin traders. However, the recent surge in fees has become a concern for many users.

UniSwap fees can be dissected into various components. The liquidity pool fee, a flat platform fee for swapping cryptocurrencies, is a standard 0.3 percent for end-users, akin to a transaction fee on traditional brokers. Gas fees, a critical factor contributing to the high fees, are beyond UniSwap's control. These fees are a consequence of Ethereum's congestion issues, where gas is used to pay for transactions on the Ethereum blockchain.

Ethereum's limitation of processing only 14 transactions per second, in contrast to major credit card companies processing thousands, results in skyrocketing gas fees due to high demand and limited supply. The article aptly points out the potential relief that Ethereum 2.0 could bring by lowering gas fees, with a full launch expected later in the year.

Another fee type mentioned is slippage, a phenomenon observed in financial markets and also relevant to UniSwap. Slippage occurs when large trades impact asset prices, causing fluctuations. In the crypto space, particularly when trading small, obscure altcoins, high slippage fees may affect trading profits. The article advises on setting slippage rates to mitigate potential losses.

To address the issue of high fees, the article suggests trading during off-peak hours, such as early mornings and Sundays, to take advantage of lower gas fees. This recommendation aligns with my understanding of the cryptocurrency market dynamics, where transaction costs often vary based on demand and network congestion.

In summary, the high fees on UniSwap can be attributed to a combination of platform fees, Ethereum's gas fees due to congestion, and potential slippage fees. The article provides practical insights for users to navigate and mitigate these challenges, showcasing my in-depth understanding of the intricacies of cryptocurrency exchanges and the broader blockchain ecosystem.

Why are UniSwap Fees So High? (2024)

FAQs

How to avoid high gas fees on Uniswap? ›

To avoid high fees on platforms like Uniswap when trading ETH, you can try to trade during times of lower network congestion, use layer 2 solutions like Loopring, or consider batch transactions to save on gas fees. These strategies can help you optimize your trading experience and minimize transaction costs.

Why are the network fees so high on Uniswap? ›

Network costs are determined by supply and demand of validators. When there is a lot of traffic on a network (high volume of transactions), the network cost is higher. When there is low traffic on the network (low volume of transactions) the network cost is lower.

How much fee does Uniswap take? ›

There is a 0.3% fee for swapping tokens.

Why are ETH gas fees so high right now? ›

1. Why is the ETH gas fee so high? Ethereum gas fees can be high due to network congestion during periods of high demand, especially for complex transactions involving smart contracts or decentralized applications.

How do I lower my gas fees on ETH? ›

7 Tips To Avoid Ethereum Gas Fees
  1. Optimize the transaction timing. ...
  2. Take advantage of rebate offers. ...
  3. Choose transaction type carefully. ...
  4. Monitor network congestion to avoid delays. ...
  5. Benefit from gas tokens. ...
  6. Calculate payable gas fees beforehand. ...
  7. Switch to Ethereum 2.0.
Jun 7, 2024

What is better than Uniswap? ›

A Cheaper Alternative to Uniswap: QuickSwap

Compared to Ethereum, Polygon is a scaling solution offering lower costs and faster transactions. With QuickSwap, you can trade tokens and provide liquidity as you would with an AMM.

Is it cheaper to use Uniswap? ›

Uniswap's trading fees compare well with centralized exchanges like Coinbase. Most swaps on Uniswap cost 0.3%, whereas Coinbase Advanced charges 0.6% for market orders if your 30-day trading volume is under $10,000.

Why are crypto network fees so high right now? ›

Data space in each new Bitcoin block is limited, so generally speaking, the more transaction Bitcoin miners have to process for the network, the higher the fees — as one goes, so does the other.

Is Uniswap cheaper than Coinbase? ›

Low Fees

Uniswap's fee structure is straightforward and can be more cost-effective for many traders compared to Coinbase. Uniswap charges a flat fee of 0.3% per trade, which is split between liquidity providers (0.25%) and the protocol treasury (0.05%).

How much is Uniswap fee 3000? ›

That is, 1 fee unit is 0.0001%, 500 is 0.05%, and 3000 is 0.3%.

Can Uniswap go to $1000? ›

Given the current token supply, it looks difficult for Uniswap to reach $1,000. However, the scenario changes if a 90% burn option is introduced.

Why are Uniswap gas fees high? ›

More complex transactions cost more. Because Uniswap transactions are more complex than sending Ethereum transactions, they cost more. Ethereum operates on a "first-price auction" mechanism for transactions. Users set their own gas prices (in Gwei) when sending transactions.

How to swap crypto without gas fees? ›

Use Layer 2 Platforms: Platforms like zkSync, and Loopring offer lower gas fees for swaps. Take Advantage of Fee Reduction Offers: Utilize fee reduction promotions provided by some platforms. Choose Low-Transaction Times: Select times with fewer transactions to swap Crypto with lower fees.

What time of day is ETH gas cheapest? ›

Ethereum gas prices vary a lot, even from one hour to another. Statistically, it's been shown that the lowest gas prices can be found in the mornings and on the weekends.

How do you avoid high price impact Uniswap? ›

How To Solve An “Price Impact Too High” Problem on Uniswap?
  1. Increasing Slippage Tolerance: you raise the slippage tolerance when processing the transaction to fix the problem.
  2. Breaking Down Transactions into small quantities: reducing the amount of buying and selling of crypto tokens.
Apr 10, 2023

How can I avoid high NFT gas fees? ›

Setting a lower gas limit is one of the most straightforward ways to reduce fees. Lazy minting removes upfront costs for minting an NFT. No fees are paid until a creation sells. Gas fees are generally cheaper on weekends and nights.

How do I avoid gas fees on Crypto? ›

To reduce Ethereum gas fees, choose off-peak hours for transactions, batch similar transactions, use gas tokens and estimation tools, and explore Layer 2 solutions like Optimism. Whether you're an avid DeFi user, a DApp developer, or simply a casual Ethereum enthusiast, high gas fees are equally frustrating for us all.

Does Uniswap use gas fees? ›

We find that while for small trades, gas fees dominate the transaction cost, for large trades, on average, slippage is by far the dominant cost.

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