Ethereum Gas Fees for a Token Launch Explained

How Ethereum prices gas: EIP-1559 basics

Since the London upgrade, Ethereum mainnet prices transactions using EIP-1559: every block has a base fee that adjusts automatically based on how full the previous block was, plus an optional priority fee (tip) that a sender can add to incentivize a validator to include their transaction sooner.

This replaced the older model where senders simply bid a single gas price against everyone else. Under EIP-1559, the base fee is not something you bid on - it is set by the protocol - while the priority fee is the part you actually control to compete for inclusion.

Base fee vs priority fee

• The base fee is burned - it is removed from circulation rather than paid to the validator.
• The base fee adjusts by up to roughly 12.5% per block, rising when the previous block was more than half full and falling when it was less than half full.
• The priority fee (tip) goes to the validator that includes the transaction, and is what you actually set to compete for faster inclusion.
• maxFeePerGas is the absolute ceiling you are willing to pay per unit of gas, covering both the base fee and the priority fee combined.
• Any difference between your maxFeePerGas and the actual base fee plus priority fee paid is refunded - you are not charged the full ceiling by default.

Estimating gas for a launch

A practical approach for a launch is to check current base fee levels and recent priority fee trends shortly before execution - both can move meaningfully within minutes during high network demand, which is common around anticipated launches.

Setting maxFeePerGas too close to current conditions risks a transaction getting stuck if the base fee rises before it is included; setting it with a reasonable buffer above current levels reduces that risk without meaningfully increasing what you actually pay, since you are only charged what the network actually requires up to your ceiling.

Why this differs from Robinhood Chain's gas model

Robinhood Chain uses a simpler, legacy-style gas price model rather than EIP-1559's base-fee-plus-tip structure - a flat multiplier over the current gas price, appropriate for a chain with a single sequencer and no competitive fee auction the way Ethereum mainnet has.

This means gas strategy that works well on Ethereum - setting a generous maxFeePerGas ceiling with a real priority fee to compete for inclusion - does not translate directly to a chain without that same auction dynamic. Each chain's fee model needs to be understood on its own terms rather than assumed to work the same way.

Common gas mistakes during a launch

• Setting maxFeePerGas based on gas conditions checked hours earlier rather than right before execution.
• Underfunding a wallet by exactly its estimated gas cost with no buffer, so any increase in the base fee causes the transaction to fail.
• Confusing the priority fee with the total fee - the priority fee alone does not determine what you pay if the base fee is high.
• Not accounting for gas cost differences between a simple transfer and a more complex launch transaction, which can use significantly more gas.

FAQ

• What is the difference between base fee and priority fee? The base fee is protocol-set and burned; the priority fee is a tip you set that goes to the validator to compete for faster inclusion.
• What does maxFeePerGas actually control? It sets the absolute ceiling per unit of gas you are willing to pay, covering both the base fee and priority fee - you are refunded any amount below that ceiling that wasn't actually needed.
• Why did my transaction get stuck pending? This usually means your maxFeePerGas was set below what the network's base fee rose to after you submitted, or your priority fee was too low to be competitive.
• Is Ethereum's gas model the same on every chain TokenBundle supports? No - Robinhood Chain uses a simpler legacy gas price model rather than Ethereum's EIP-1559 structure.