When were Bitcoin's highest transaction fee periods?
Highest single day: 2024-04-20 at 75.2% of miner revenue. Best 30-day window: January 2018 at 26.2%. Longest run above 10%: 100 days, ending 2018-02-15. Today: 0.64%.
By halving epoch
| Epoch | Period | Average fee share | Peak day | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epoch epoch 1 | 2010-08-18 – 2012-11-27 | 0.21% | 3.6% | 2011-12-11 |
| Epoch epoch 2 | 2012-11-28 – 2016-07-08 | 0.59% | 8.0% | 2016-04-26 |
| Epoch epoch 3 | 2016-07-09 – 2020-05-10 | 6.35% | 43.5% | 2017-12-22 |
| Epoch epoch 4 | 2020-05-11 – 2024-04-18 | 5.73% | 42.6% | 2023-05-08 |
| Epoch epoch 5 | 2024-04-19 – 2026-09-07 | 2.26% | 75.2% | 2024-04-20 |
Sustained runs, which is the number that matters
| Threshold | Longest sustained run | Ended |
|---|---|---|
| Above 10% | 100 days | 2018-02-15 |
| Above 20% | 40 days | 2018-01-31 |
| Above 30% | 0 days | — |
| Above 50% | 0 days | — |
The two events people cite
January 2018 is the highest sustained period: a 26.2% 30-day average during the end of that bull market, and the only time Bitcoin has held above 20% for as long as 40 days. 2024-04-20 is the highest single day, at 75.2% of miner revenue, driven by the Runes launch. It lasted days, not months, which is exactly the distinction that matters for a budget that has to be paid every block.
Why this page exists
Fee peaks are the most-cited evidence that fees can replace the subsidy. The record is worth reading directly rather than through either side’s summary of it. What it shows is real fee demand, arriving in bursts, that has never yet stayed. See what would be required.