USDT ERC-20 Transfer Fee: Live Cost to Send Tether on Ethereum
Right now, to send USDT (ERC-20) on Ethereum mainnet costs about $0.013 at the standard gas price of 0.081 gwei.
Sending Tether on Ethereum calls the transfer function of the USDT token contract. It typically uses between about 41,000 and 65,000 gas. The higher end applies when the recipient has never held USDT, because creating a new balance entry costs more than updating an existing one.
How the cost is calculated
Fee = gas used × gas price × ETH price. With the current standard price: 63,000 gas × 0.081 gwei = 0.00000510 ETH, which is $0.013 at $2,492 per ETH. Across the typical range of about 41,000 to 65,000 gas, the standard cost is between $0.0083 and $0.013.
How to pay less
- USDT exists on many networks. If the recipient accepts another network, compare fees first, and always confirm the network with the recipient before sending.
- Sending to an address that already holds USDT is cheaper than to a fresh one.
- Check the cheapest hours to transact and avoid known demand spikes.
What it cost on recent days
Cost of this action at each day's average and peak standard gas price, using that day's average ETH price.
| Day | Avg gas | Cost at avg | Cost at peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 10, 2026 | 0.088 gwei | $0.014 | $0.022 |
| October 9, 2026 | 0.212 gwei | $0.033 | $0.194 |
| October 8, 2026 | 0.940 gwei | $0.149 | $1.95 |
| October 7, 2026 | 0.682 gwei | $0.111 | $0.961 |
| October 6, 2026 | 0.544 gwei | $0.093 | $0.759 |
| October 5, 2026 | 0.467 gwei | $0.080 | $0.592 |
| October 4, 2026 | 0.122 gwei | $0.021 | $0.159 |
Compare with other Ethereum actions
| Action | Typical gas | Standard cost |
|---|---|---|
| Send ETH | 21,000 | $0.0042 |
| Send USDT (ERC-20) | 63,000 | $0.013 |
| Send USDC (ERC-20) | 60,000 | $0.012 |
| Approve a token | 46,000 | $0.0093 |
| Swap on Uniswap | 150,000 | $0.030 |
| Mint an NFT | 120,000 | $0.024 |
| Transfer an NFT | 70,000 | $0.014 |
| Buy an NFT on a marketplace | 200,000 | $0.040 |
| Deposit into Aave | 220,000 | $0.044 |
| Wrap ETH into WETH | 46,000 | $0.0093 |
| Stake ETH with Lido | 85,000 | $0.017 |
| Bridge ETH to a layer-2 | 110,000 | $0.022 |
| Register an ENS name | 300,000 | $0.060 |
| Deploy a smart contract | 1,200,000 | $0.242 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to send USDT (ERC-20) right now?
About $0.013 at the standard gas price of 0.081 gwei with ETH at $2,492, using a typical 63,000 gas.
How much gas does it use?
Typically about 41,000 to 65,000 gas. Exact usage depends on the contract and on whether new storage is written.
Why does the cost change during the day?
The gas price follows demand for Ethereum block space. Busy hours and market events push it up; quiet hours bring it down.