What is Gwei?

Gwei is a convenient sub-unit of Ether, equal to one billionth of one Ether. Because gas prices are tiny fractions of a coin, quoting them in gwei keeps the numbers readable. When you see a gas price like “20 gwei”, it describes how much you are paying per unit of gas.

This matters because gas prices in gwei directly drive your transaction cost. Watching the current gwei level helps you decide when to transact cheaply and when to wait for congestion to ease.

Example: during a quiet period, gas might be a handful of gwei, making a swap cheap, while during a popular mint it could spike many times higher, sharply increasing the same transaction’s cost.

Safety note: timing transactions for lower gwei can save meaningful money, especially when claiming small rewards. Do not let a scam’s artificial urgency push you into transacting during a fee spike. And remember, adjusting gwei only changes how fast the network processes you; it is never a fee paid to any individual. Related terms include gas, gas fee, gas limit, and mempool.