Table of Contents
Gem Wallet is glad to announce that starting August 10, 2026, with version 2.114.4, you can set a custom network fee for a Bitcoin transfer. Enter your own rate in sat/vB and the amount is recalculated right on the screen as you type, so you see it before you sign the transaction.
What Is a Bitcoin Network Fee
A fee on the Bitcoin network is charged by the size of the transaction, not by the amount you send: the rate in sat/vB - satoshis per virtual byte - is multiplied by the weight, and a regular transfer weighs about 141 bytes. That is why a $10 transfer and a $10,000 transfer cost the same if they weigh the same.
One person gets into a block for 2 sat/vB while another pays 30 - the only difference is the rate each of them set. You can always check what the network costs on mempool: in August 2026 blocks were closing at 1-4 sat/vB, while on the day of the 2024 halving the average Bitcoin transaction fee reached $128.
What Are Custom Network Fees on Bitcoin
Custom Network Fees is a manual fee rate: you enter your own value in sat/vB instead of a preset speed option. Gem Wallet accepts fractional values as well: the minimum is 0.1 sat/vB, and the maximum right now is 20 sat/vB.
Overpaying does not speed anything up: if the network asks for 1 sat/vB, both 1.3 and 2 land in the same block. But instead of 2 you can enter 1.3 and cut the fee by about a third, and when you are in a hurry you can push the rate above any preset option.
A manual rate is rare in mobile wallets: usually you get three transaction speed buttons and that is it. Gem Wallet hands the setting over to its users: the price of every BTC transfer is now your decision.
How to Set Your Own Fee When Sending Bitcoin
- Open Gem Wallet, select Bitcoin, and tap Send
- Enter the recipient address and the amount
- Tap the Network Fee row and choose Custom
- Enter your rate in sat/vB - fractional values are accepted too, for example 1.3
- Check the fee on the screen and confirm the transfer
Benefits of Custom Network Fees for Gem Wallet Users
Gem Wallet is a mobile self-custody Bitcoin Wallet with fully open-source code for iOS and Android: store, send, and swap BTC, and now set the network fee for every transfer yourself.
- Full Self-Custody: Your Bitcoin and all other assets stay under your full control - Gem Wallet keeps private keys on your device, and no third party has access to them.
- Fully Open-Source Code: Gem Wallet code is 100% open and passed a CertiK audit in April 2026 - anyone can check how the app calculates and signs a fee.
- Privacy by Default: Managing Bitcoin in Gem Wallet takes no email, no phone number, and no ID - the app does not collect user data.
- Fractional Rates From 0.1 sat/vB: Gem Wallet accepts more than whole numbers, so in a quiet hour you pay exactly what the network costs, and at peak you raise the rate as much as you need.
- Built-in DEX Aggregator: Swap USDT, ETH, or SOL for BTC right in the app through THORChain, Relay, Chainflip, and other DEX protocols.
- Top Up With a Credit Card: You can top up your Bitcoin wallet right in the app - buy Bitcoin with a credit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay in 170+ countries.
Resources for Developers
A manual rate works not only on Bitcoin but also on related UTXO networks (there the fee is charged by transaction size as well, not by the amount sent): Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Dogecoin, and others. In total Gem Wallet supports more than 100 blockchains, and on each of them the transfer speed is chosen in the same Network Fee row before you confirm.
Conclusion
Gem Wallet cares about our users and expands what you can do every day: now not only your BTC is under your control, but the price of every Bitcoin transfer as well.
Open your Bitcoin wallet today and try setting your own fee - securely and in a couple of taps.
