Ethereum is 'killing itself,' costing users thousands of dollars for every transaction


  • Ethereum has settled over $6.2 trillion worth of transactions over the past 12 months, despite a spike in gas fees.
  • Analysts argue that Vitalik Buterin once stated that "the internet of money should not cost 5 cents a transaction."
  • Ethereum-killers like Avalanche, Solana and Cardano are likely to takeover the altcoin in the months before "The Merge."

Ethereum is expected to transition to proof-of-stake (POS) in late 2021 or early 2022. Until then, traders fight the uphill battle of rising transaction fees. 

Avalanche, Solana and Cardano became popular as Ethereum-killers, but the altcoin is killing itself

Ethereum is months away from its transition to PoS, in “The Merge.” Until then, traders on the Ethereum network suffer from high fees on the network. Proponents on Twitter condone the complaints on transaction fees, however analysts consider this more than a rant. 

A cryptocurrency trader @HukAleksandra tweeted earlier today, 

Aleksandra is referring to Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin’s statement,

The Internet of Money should not cost 5 cents per transaction.

Buterin has proposed the use of rollups for low transaction costs in the past. Though rollups may solve the altcoin’s scalability problem, they increase the reliance on others. 

Decentralization is at the core of the Ethereum network. Rollups literally “roll up” transactions into a single block and reduce the congestion in the ETH network by centralizing it to a certain extent.

The price that traders pay for faster and cheaper transactions is a “certain degree of centralization” in the process. 

The debate on fees continues since the Ethereum network has processed over $6.2 trillion worth of transactions over the past year. 

Ethereum transactions settled over the past twelve months.

Ethereum transactions settled over the past twelve months.

Alongside these developments on the Ethereum network, alternatives like Avalanche, Solana and Cardano have noted a spike in demand and market capitalization. Popular as Ethereum-killers, these cryptocurrencies have emerged as cheaper and faster alternatives to the Ethereum networks and thousands of decentralized applications have chosen AVAX, SOL or ADA ecosystem to develop their projects. 

Until “The Merge,” Ethereum holders and traders are expected to suffer from high transaction fees on the network. 

FXStreet analysts have evaluated ETH price trend and predicted that the altcoin has positioned itself for a bullish breakout. 

 


Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.

If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.

FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.

The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.

Recommended content


Recommended Content

Editors’ Picks

Bitcoin Weekly Forecast: BTC nosedives below $95,000 as spot ETFs record highest daily outflow since launch

Bitcoin Weekly Forecast: BTC nosedives below $95,000 as spot ETFs record highest daily outflow since launch

Bitcoin price continues to edge down, trading below $95,000 on Friday after declining more than 9% this week. Bitcoin US spot ETFs recorded the highest single-day outflow on Thursday since their launch in January.

More Bitcoin News
Bitcoin crashes to $96,000, altcoins bleed: Top trades for sidelined buyers

Bitcoin crashes to $96,000, altcoins bleed: Top trades for sidelined buyers

Bitcoin (BTC) slipped under the $100,000 milestone and touched the $96,000 level briefly on Friday, a sharp decline that has also hit hard prices of other altcoins and particularly meme coins. 

More Bitcoin News
Solana Price Forecast: SOL’s technical outlook and on-chain metrics hint at a double-digit correction

Solana Price Forecast: SOL’s technical outlook and on-chain metrics hint at a double-digit correction

Solana (SOL) price trades in red below $194 on Friday after declining more than 13% this week. The recent downturn has led to $38 million in total liquidations, with over $33 million coming from long positions.

More Solana News
SEC approves Hashdex and Franklin Templeton's combined Bitcoin and Ethereum crypto index ETFs

SEC approves Hashdex and Franklin Templeton's combined Bitcoin and Ethereum crypto index ETFs

The SEC approved Hashdex's proposal for a crypto index ETF. The ETF currently features Bitcoin and Ethereum, with possible additions in the future. The agency also approved Franklin Templeton's amendment to its Cboe BZX for a crypto index ETF.

More Cryptocurrencies News
Bitcoin: 2025 outlook brightens on expectations of US pro-crypto policy

Bitcoin: 2025 outlook brightens on expectations of US pro-crypto policy

Bitcoin (BTC) price has surged more than 140% in 2024, reaching the $100K milestone in early December. The rally was driven by the launch of Bitcoin Spot Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) in January and the reduced supply following the fourth halving event in April.

Read full analysis
Best Forex Brokers with Low Spreads

Best Forex Brokers with Low Spreads

VERIFIED Low spreads are crucial for reducing trading costs. Explore top Forex brokers offering competitive spreads and high leverage. Compare options for EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, and Gold.

Read More

BTC

ETH

XRP