An abnormally expensive Bitcoin transaction once again occurred on Nov. 18.
According to Blockchain.com, someone has just paid a $47,419 fee in order to move just $194 worth of Bitcoin at blockheight 657535.
The block with the “jackpot” was produced by the mining arm of leading cryptocurrency exchange Huobi.
“Goose-egg” transfers are rather rare
So-called “goose egg” transactions have been around since the inception of the blockchain but they don’t happen often.
The most likely explanation for such ultra-high fees is a fat-finger error. A certain someone apparently entered the amount he or she was intending to sell into the fee field.
47 grand is just pocket change compared to the 291 BTC ($5.2 mln at press time) someone shelled out just to transfer a minuscule $1.78 back in April 2016.
This August, the cryptocurrency community got baffled by mysterious Ethereum transactions with multi-million gas fees. Some suspected that they were meant to launder ill-gotten gains.
Bitcoin’s fees are on the decline
Blockstream CSO Samson Mow jokingly suggested that Bitcoin Cash proponent Roger Ver would jump on the opportunity to scold high Bitcoin fees.
Yesterday, Ver took aim at Bitcoin investors who he believes fail to realize that the flagship cryptocurrency was “meant to be cash.”
In reality, the average Bitcoin transaction has been steadily falling since hitting their 2020 high of $13.157 on Oct. 31.
On Nov. 15, it was just $2.688 before going up slightly during Bitcoin’s rally above $18,000.
Gamza Khanzadaev
Tomiwabold Olajide
Godfrey Benjamin
