Vitalik Buterin Suggests Onchain Gas Futures Market for Ethereum

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has raised the idea of creating an onchain futures market for gas fees, aiming to give users more predictability as network activity grows. 

In a post on X on Saturday, he responded to ongoing questions about whether current fee reduction measures can keep gas costs low over time. His proposal centers on a market that allows users to lock in gas prices for future periods instead of relying on changing network conditions.

Buterin noted that the concept could help address ongoing concerns about fee swings. By allowing users to secure prices for later use, the network could offer a clearer picture of future costs. He pointed to Ethereum Base fees as one area where such a market could be applied, since they play a major part in total transaction fees.

How the Futures Model Would Function

Traditional futures markets allow buyers and sellers to set a price for an asset at a later date. The same idea could be applied to Ethereum gas, which gives users the option to reserve fees ahead of time. This could be useful for anyone preparing for times when demand may rise.

A market built around this idea would act as a guide for developers, traders and platforms that depend on steady fee estimates. Buterin stated that such a system would provide a clear read on expectations for future costs and offer a way to hedge against sudden jumps. 

Users would be able to prepay for a certain amount of gas within a fixed time window, giving them more control over budgeting.

Growing Interest as Fees Shift Through the Year

Builders, high volume traders, apps and institutions often need predictable costs for planning. A market like this could give them a tool to manage that need without relying on volatile fee trends.

The suggestion arrives at a time when Ethereum’s average gas cost for simple transfers is around 0.474 gwei, which is roughly $0.01 based on Etherscan data. More complex actions cost more, with token swaps at about $0.16, NFT sales at $0.27 and bridging at $0.05.

Fees have generally fallen through 2025, yet sharp rises and drops still appear. Ycharts data shows the average fee began the year at $1 and has since moved to $0.30, with short peaks near $2.60 and dips near $0.18. These changes continue to drive interest in tools that can steady costs for users who depend on the chain every day.