Transaction fees
Fee Structure Overview
Botanix uses a dual-layer fee structure that reflects its position as a Bitcoin Layer 2. Understanding these fees helps you use the network efficiently and budget for your transactions.
Layer 1 (Bitcoin) Fees: Traditional Bitcoin network fees for transactions on the Bitcoin mainnet
Layer 2 (Botanix) Fees: EVM-style gas fees for transactions and smart contract interactions on Botanix
Layer 2 Fees on Botanix
Fee Denomination
Fees on Botanix are denominated in Bitcoin, not ETH or other tokens. This means:
You pay gas fees using your Bitcoin balance on Botanix
Staking rewards for Orchestrators are paid in Bitcoin
All economic activity remains Bitcoin-native
Gas Fee Calculation
Botanix uses the same gas fee formula as Ethereum:
Fee = Gas Price × Gas Used
Where:
Gas Price: How much you're willing to pay per unit of computational work (set by you)
Gas Used: The actual computational work required for your transaction (determined by the network)
Setting Gas Parameters
Use
eth_gasPrice
to determine the appropriate gas price for current network conditionsUse
eth_estimateGas
to find the appropriate gas limit for your transactionImportant: If your gas price is too low, your transaction will be rejected
Important: If your gas limit is below the estimated requirement, your transaction will fail
Bridging Fees Explained

L1 → L2: Deposit (Peg-in) Costs
When you deposit Bitcoin to Botanix, you pay two separate fees:
Standard Bitcoin Transaction Fee
This is the regular Bitcoin network fee shown in your BTC wallet
Varies based on Bitcoin network congestion
Paid to Bitcoin miners
Minting Contract Gas Fee
Cost to execute the smart contract that mints your Bitcoin on Botanix
Displayed on the bridge interface
Paid in Bitcoin on Botanix
L2 → L1: Withdraw (Peg-out) Costs
When you withdraw Bitcoin back to Layer 1, the process involves two transactions:
Initialization Transaction (L2)
Burns your Bitcoin on Botanix
Gas fee calculated like any other L2 transaction
Paid in Bitcoin on Botanix
Finalization Transaction (L1)
Releases your Bitcoin from the Spiderchain multisig
Cost depends on Bitcoin mempool congestion
Automatically handled by Orchestrators
Withdrawals are batched to reduce costs
Fee Management Best Practices
Monitor Bitcoin fees: Bridge during lower congestion periods when possibl
Plan ahead: Bridge larger amounts less frequently to optimize fee-to-value ratios
Time your transactions: Both Bitcoin and Botanix fees vary with network activity
Monitor gas prices: Use tools to track optimal fee levels
Key Takeaways
Dual-layer fees: Pay Bitcoin L1 fees for bridging, L2 gas fees for operations
Bitcoin-denominated: All fees paid in Bitcoin, maintaining network alignment
Significant savings: L2 operations cost (less than) cents instead of dollars
Transparent pricing: Tools available to estimate costs before transacting
Batching benefits: Some operations can be optimized through batching
Understanding Botanix's fee structure helps you use the network efficiently while budgeting appropriately for your DeFi activities. The combination of Bitcoin's security with Layer 2 efficiency creates a cost-effective environment for sophisticated financial applications.
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