Network fees and gas sponsorship
Why a payment costs more than the amount you sent, how to choose a speed, and what gas sponsorship covers.
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When you would read this
When your balance moved by more than the amount you sent, when a payment is taking longer than expected, or when you are planning a large run of payments.
What a network fee is
Every blockchain charges a fee to process a transaction. It is paid to the network, not to Stablerail, and it is unavoidable. It varies with how busy the network is at that moment, so the same payment costs different amounts at different times.
On most networks the fee is paid in that network's native coin, not in the asset you are sending. Sending a stablecoin can therefore require a small balance of the network's native coin as well.
Stablerail estimates the fee before you confirm and shows it on the payment screen.
Choosing a speed
On networks where it applies you can choose how much to pay for how fast:
- Fast, roughly ten minutes
- Normal, roughly an hour
- Slow, two hours or more
These are estimates from current network conditions, not guarantees. If the network gets busier after you send, a slow transaction can take considerably longer.
Choose Fast when someone is waiting. Choose Slow for routine runs where an hour or two does not matter.
Gas sponsorship
Gas sponsorship means Stablerail covers the network fee for a transaction so your wallet does not need to hold the network's native coin to transact.
It is available on Tron, on the EVM networks, and on Solana. You do not switch it on per payment. Where it applies, it applies.
Any charges associated with it are set out in your Order Form. Your account manager can confirm what applies to your account.
Common problems and what they mean
"Unusually high network fee." The estimate is well above normal for that network, usually short-lived congestion. Wait and retry, choose a slower speed, or accept it if the payment is urgent.
"Network fee estimate unavailable." Stablerail could not reach the network for a current estimate. Retry shortly rather than sending blind.
Your balance dropped by more than you sent. The fee came out on top of the amount.
A payment will not send and you hold plenty of the asset. You may be short of the network's native coin needed to pay the fee, on a network where sponsorship does not apply.
A slow payment has not confirmed. Give it time. If it is far past the estimate, see "Fix a payment that fails or stalls".