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What Drives Bitcoin Fees? Using Segwit to Assess Bitcoin's Long-Run Sustainability

Author

Listed:
  • Colin Brown
  • Jonathan Chiu
  • Thorsten Koeppl

Abstract

Can Bitcoin remain tamper proof in the long run? We use block-level data from the Bitcoin blockchain to estimate the impact of congestion and the USD price on fee rates. The introduction and adoption of the Segwit protocol allows us to identify an aggregate demand curve for bitcoin transactions. We find that Segwit has reduced fee revenue by about 70%. Fee revenue could be maximized at a block size of about 0.6 MB when Segwit adoption remains at current levels. At this block size, maximum fee revenue would be equivalent to 1/8 of the current average block reward. Hence, large sustained price increases are required to keep mining rewards constant in the long run.

Suggested Citation

  • Colin Brown & Jonathan Chiu & Thorsten Koeppl, 2022. "What Drives Bitcoin Fees? Using Segwit to Assess Bitcoin's Long-Run Sustainability," Staff Working Papers 22-2, Bank of Canada.
    • Handle: RePEc:bca:bocawp:22-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jushan Bai & Pierre Perron, 2003. "Computation and analysis of multiple structural change models," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 18(1), pages 1-22.
    2. Andrews, Donald W K, 1991. "Heteroskedasticity and Autocorrelation Consistent Covariance Matrix Estimation," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 59(3), pages 817-858, May.
    3. Easley, David & O'Hara, Maureen & Basu, Soumya, 2019. "From mining to markets: The evolution of bitcoin transaction fees," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(1), pages 91-109.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Digital currencies and fintech; Payment clearing and settlement systems;

    JEL classification:

    • E42 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Monetary Sytsems; Standards; Regimes; Government and the Monetary System
    • G2 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services

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