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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, starting from 0.1 sat/vB. Enter your own rate 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: from 0.1 sat/vB, in steps of 0.1, and the upper bound is ten times the Normal preset, so it rises as the network gets busier.
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 from 0.1 sat/vB up, 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.
The code behind the feature is fully open, and anyone can read it line by line:
📖 Custom Network Fees Pull Request on GitHub
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 transfer as well. Open the app, start a Bitcoin transfer, and set your own rate from 0.1 sat/vB - securely and in a couple of taps.
