How to make a bitcoin transaction and pay less than 1 sat/vByte

[Pmalek]

Those familiar with Bitcoin and who visit mempool.space won't be surprised to see that many blocks contain transactions where users paid less than 1 sat/vByte in fees. It is now possible to pay as low as 0.10 sat/vByte, while for a long time, the bottom threshold was 1 sat/vByte.

People who run their own nodes and use Bitcoin Core can easily adjust a few settings to enable their software to support and relay transactions to other peers at such low fees. However, ordinary users don't run their own nodes, so they need another solution. Two popular wallets that support sub 1 sat/vByte transactions are Trezor Suite and Electrum. Sparrow Wallet and Blue Wallet have announced their support for future releases.


How to send a bitcoin transaction and pay less than 1 sat/vByte with Trezor Suite?

Owners of Trezor hardware wallets can create and sign transactions that pay less than 1 sat/vByte in fees using Trezor Suite. There are two very similar ways to do that. I will describe the one that worked for me, but this link has an alternative that you can try if you want. Please note that this alternative method did not work for me.

1. Create a transaction the normal way. Enter the address you are sending bitcoin to, the amount you are sending, and the fee you wish to pay (eg, 0.3 sat/vByte).
2. Above the field where you entered the destination address, you will see the option "Broadcast". Click on it to change it to "Broadcast: off."
3. You will notice that you can't click on the "Sign" button yet.
4. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner of Trezor Suite and click on "Send raw".
5. A new window will pop up.
6. When it opens, close it again without entering anything.
7. After closing the window, it will be possible to click on the "Sign" button to sign your transaction. You may have to open and close the window two or three times to make the "Sign" button clickable.
8. Sign the transaction by clicking "Sign."
9. After signing the transaction, a "Copy raw transaction" button will appear.
10. Click on "Copy raw transaction."
11. Paste the signed and still non-broadcast transaction that you copied on https://mempool.space/tx/push into the "Broadcast Transaction" field.
12. Click the "Broadcast Transaction" button.
13. The transaction ID of the broadcasted transaction you sent will appear on screen. You can use this ID to track the status of your transaction.


How to send a bitcoin transaction and pay less than 1 sat/vByte with Electrum?

Electrum wallet can send bitcoin transactions with fees lower than 1 sat/vByte if you are connected to a node that supports such transactions, and after entering one line of code in the Electrum console. Below are instructions on how to set this up.

1. Open Electrum and the wallet from which you want to send a sub 1 sat/vByte transaction.
2. Click on the orb in the lower right corner of the app to change network settings.
3. If you have not previously changed the method of connecting to Electrum servers, Electrum will randomly select one and connect to it. You need to change that by clicking on the "Connection mode" field and choosing "Manual server selection."
4. After that, click on "Close."
5. Click again on the orb in the lower right corner to adjust network settings.
6. In the "Server" field, copy/paste the following server: electrum.labrie.ca and click "Close." Electrum will then connect to this server. You can also connect to LoyceV Electrum server, electrum.loyce.club if you wish.
7. If the "Console" tab is not visible in your Electrum app, you need to activate it by clicking "View > Console" in the upper left corner of the software.
8. After you have connected to the appropriate server, click on the "Console" tab and copy/paste the following command: wallet.relayfee = (lambda: 0) and click ENTER. You need to enter this command every time you want to send a transaction with fees lower than 1 sat/vByte until this becomes the standard and is merged into an official Electrum release. TryNinja made his own plugin that includes this command when you start Electrum. You can also install it if you want, using the instructions in this post.
9. When you're done, create your transaction in Electrum and send it. With Electrum, you also have an option to copy a raw transaction and broadcast it via the mempool.space page as I explained in step #11 above. To do this, you first need to sign the transaction in Electrum and then click the buttons "Preview > Share > Copy to clipboard." Paste the copied string on the page https://mempool.space/tx/push.


How to send a bitcoin transaction and pay less than 1 sat/vByte with Sparrow Wallet?

The 2.2.4 pre-release beta version of Sparrow Wallet supports sending transactions that pay less than 1 sat/vByte in fees. However, the user must configure the minrelaytxfee option in their server settings to support lower-fee transactions or be connected to a node that has this setting adjusted.

1. Download the 2.2.4 beta version of Sparrow Wallet from https://github.com/craigraw/beta/releases/tag/2.2.4-support-minrelaytxfee.
2. Connect to a server that has changed the minrelaytxfee setting or make the changes yourself in your bitcoin.conf file. Fee settings can also be changed by "editing the Sparrow config file in Sparrow home and changing the value of minRelayFeeRate to a value >= 0.0 and < 1.0." 

If the server you are connected to isn't configured correctly, you will get a broadcast error.


I intend to expand this thread and add to the list the procedure for sending sub 1 sat/vByte transactions with Sparrow and Blue wallets in the future if needed. I will only do that if it's a non-standard way of sending transactions.

[Pmalek]

Reserved...

[rdluffy]

Thanks for the topic, very good 
I haven't tried making a transaction below 1sat/vByte yet, but I will soon, and I think I'll do it through Electrum (but I also have Trezor)
It's a shame I already consolidated my old wallets because I would have made a nice saving

... until this becomes the standard and is merged into an official Electrum release...

I was going to ask this question, whether you think this feature would be implemented in Electrum, and I believe that in the future it will be implemented, there will probably be demand for it

Even today, I find it incredible to see transactions below 1 sat/vByte with BTC worthing more than 100k
It seemed impossible until a few years ago

[Ruttoshi]

Wow..thanks for this info. When next I want to transfer bitcoin to someone, I will try it out. Does this less fee of 0.1sat/Vbyte permanent when you follow the instructions and always implement it in any transaction that you want to send, or when the network is congested, it becomes impossible. However, I know that even though you cannot use the fee lesser than 1sat/vByte, when the network is congested, but will the transaction fee still be lower than the transaction fee of those that just send their coins like that.

[Charles-Tim]

Does this less fee of 0.1sat/Vbyte permanent when you follow the instructions and always implement it in any transaction that you want to send, or when the network is congested, it becomes impossible.

Yes, as long as the server you connected to have it in its settings to accept such low fee.

However, I know that even though you cannot use the fee lesser than 1sat/vByte, when the network is congested, but will the transaction fee still be lower than the transaction fee of those that just send their coins like that.

No, if the mempool become congested, the fee rate you will use have to be the same or higher than the fee rate the purging is.

It is worth knowing that such transactions are getting confirmed because the mempool is not congested at all to the extent that even 0.3 sat/vbyte transactions are getting confirmed.

[jukheer]

Thank you! I was able to do one with electrum and pasting into mempool.space. Is it possible to do it with Sparrow wallet at the moment? was looking through the docs and command line options but not seeing it. Have a full node if it matters

[Pmalek]

I was going to ask this question, whether you think this feature would be implemented in Electrum...

I think most wallets will have it in the future and so will Electrum server runners. Look at it the same way SegWit started out all those years ago. It took a while, but now everyone is using it. 

Even today, I find it incredible to see transactions below 1 sat/vByte with BTC worthing more than 100k
It seemed impossible until a few years ago

If you think about it, it makes sense that you would pay less sats in fees when those sats are worth more in fiat terms. As bitcoin's value increases, so does the value of the fees you pay. 200 sats today and 200 sats 10 years ago are two completely different things in dollar terms.

Does this less fee of 0.1sat/Vbyte permanent when you follow the instructions and always implement it in any transaction that you want to send, or when the network is congested, it becomes impossible. However, I know that even though you cannot use the fee lesser than 1sat/vByte, when the network is congested, but will the transaction fee still be lower than the transaction fee of those that just send their coins like that.

Unless miners change their minds and stop supporting below 1 sat/vByte transactions, they will remain a permanent option on the network. You still have some that don't support them and mine blocks that entail only transactions where users paid at least 1 sat/vByte.

Nothing has changed. Before sending a Bitcoin transaction, you should take a look at the state of unconfirmed transactions then consider how important it is for you to get a quick confirmation. Based on that, it's easier to decide how much to pay. If you can afford to wait, then pay less and wait. You can always use the RBF feature if your priority changes.

<Snip>

From which website did you take that screenshot? I like that it shows different categories of unconfirmed transactions even below 1 sat/vByte.

Is it possible to do it with Sparrow wallet at the moment? was looking through the docs and command line options but not seeing it. Have a full node if it matters

Not with an official release of the Sparrow Wallet. You can do it with this version but you must also be connected to a server that has edited its settings to support these types of transactions. It's supposed to become part of the official 2.2.4 release in the future.

[apogio]

Going to try it with Electrum later today. I haven't sent any transactions with less than 1sat/vB. Sounds intriguing.

BTW, is Loyce's server available for mainnet as well?

PS: Going to merit the OP when I have sendable merits.

[Pmalek]

BTW, is Loyce's server available for mainnet as well?

I see no reason why it wouldn't be. He mentioned in his thread that he tested it with two transactions already. One has been confirmed on the blockchain, the other is still unconfirmed. If you use Loyce's Electrum server but it doesn't relay your transaction to let's say mempool.space, you can use mempool.space's broadcast feature to help it propagate.

Btw, I just noticed that Loyce server now has a new domain (electrum.loyce.club). I will change that in my OP.

[apogio]

BTW, is Loyce's server available for mainnet as well?

I see no reason why it wouldn't be. He mentioned in his thread that he tested it with two transactions already. One has been confirmed on the blockchain, the other is still unconfirmed. If you use Loyce's Electrum server but it doesn't relay your transaction to let's say mempool.space, you can use mempool.space's broadcast feature to help it propagate.

Btw, I just noticed that Loyce server now has a new domain (electrum.loyce.club). I will change that in my OP.

Yeah the reason why I asked was because I think tmp.loyce.club is meant to be for the testnet4. Anyway, again, very good thread. I 'll be back with feedback!

[Charles-Tim]

From which website did you take that screenshot? I like that it shows different categories of unconfirmed transactions even below 1 sat/vByte.

I screenshot it from from https://jochen-hoenicke.de/queue/#BTC,24h,weight. I scrolled it up a bit to capture the lower fee rates which might not let it really look like the site but it is from the site.

[Pmalek]

I screenshot it from from https://jochen-hoenicke.de/queue/#BTC,24h,weight. I scrolled it up a bit to capture the lower fee rates which might not let it really look like the site but it is from the site.

I don't think you screenshotted it from there because that domain doesn't show the number of below 1 sat/vByte transactions in separate categories. It doesn't go below 1 sat on the graph.
I didn't know there were two versions of Jochen Hoenicke's site. The one you linked to above is also the one I use (https://jochen-hoenicke.de/queue/#BTC,24h,weight). But the second version is this: https://mempool.jhoenicke.de/#BTC,2h,weight. This second one shows the data you screenshotted, with categories such as 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 sat/vbyte, etc.

[snipie]

No, if the mempool become congested, the fee rate you will use have to be the same or higher than the fee rate the purging is.

It is worth knowing that such transactions are getting confirmed because the mempool is not congested at all to the extent that even 0.3 sat/vbyte transactions are getting confirmed.

I remember spending a lot of money in the past whenever I try to spend and my bad luck is stuck with a congested mempool, even my high fees should wait a couple of blocks before being handled. Luckily it doesn't happen frequently.
Thanks @OP for the explanation, I personally prefer to spend a little above the recommend fees sat/vByte to have a fast confirmation but I wouldn't hesitate to try that if I am not in rush.

[Charles-Tim]

I don't think you screenshotted it from there because that domain doesn't show the number of below 1 sat/vByte transactions in separate categories. It doesn't go below 1 sat on the graph.
I didn't know there were two versions of Jochen Hoenicke's site. The one you linked to above is also the one I use (https://jochen-hoenicke.de/queue/#BTC,24h,weight). But the second version is this: https://mempool.jhoenicke.de/#BTC,2h,weight. This second one shows the data you screenshotted, with categories such as 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 sat/vbyte, etc.

I fall for it.

I used my laptop when checking the the fee rate on the site, while using my phone to post about it. That makes me get two links of similar websites. I did not even know until now.

[Pmalek]

Update:
Instructions for Sparrow Wallet added to the OP.


How to send a bitcoin transaction and pay less than 1 sat/vByte with Sparrow Wallet?

The 2.2.4 pre-release beta version of Sparrow Wallet supports sending transactions that pay less than 1 sat/vByte in fees. However, the user must configure the minrelaytxfee option in their server settings to support lower-fee transactions or be connected to a node that has this setting adjusted.

1. Download the 2.2.4 beta version of Sparrow Wallet from https://github.com/craigraw/beta/releases/tag/2.2.4-support-minrelaytxfee.
2. Connect to a server that has changed the minrelaytxfee setting or make the changes yourself in your bitcoin.conf file. Fee settings can also be changed by "editing the Sparrow config file in Sparrow home and changing the value of minRelayFeeRate to a value >= 0.0 and < 1.0." 

If the server you are connected to isn't configured correctly, you will get a broadcast error.

[Forsyth Jones]

Update:
Instructions for Sparrow Wallet added to the OP.


How to send a bitcoin transaction and pay less than 1 sat/vByte with Sparrow Wallet?

The 2.2.4 pre-release beta version of Sparrow Wallet supports sending transactions that pay less than 1 sat/vByte in fees. However, the user must configure the minrelaytxfee option in their server settings to support lower-fee transactions or be connected to a node that has this setting adjusted.

1. Download the 2.2.4 beta version of Sparrow Wallet from https://github.com/craigraw/beta/releases/tag/2.2.4-support-minrelaytxfee.
2. Connect to a server that has changed the minrelaytxfee setting or make the changes yourself in your bitcoin.conf file. Fee settings can also be changed by "editing the Sparrow config file in Sparrow home and changing the value of minRelayFeeRate to a value >= 0.0 and < 1.0." 

If the server you are connected to isn't configured correctly, you will get a broadcast error.

Thanks for posting this. I haven't been able to make transactions below 1 sat/b on Bitcoin Core directly in the send tab (if I set it below 1 sat/vB, in kilobytes, the value returns to 1 sat/vB), so it's only possible to do this via the console, right?

However, if I can transact below 1 sat/vB using some of these wallet options, can I simply copy the raw transaction and broadcast it in the Bitcoin Core console? Apparently, my Bitcoin Core can broadcast transactions below 1 sat/vB. Did I configure it correctly?

Code:

minrelaytxfee=0.00000100
incrementalrelayfee=0.00000100

In sat/B this is 0.1 sat/B

[Pmalek]

Thanks for posting this. I haven't been able to make transactions below 1 sat/b on Bitcoin Core directly in the send tab (if I set it below 1 sat/vB, in kilobytes, the value returns to 1 sat/vB), so it's only possible to do this via the console, right?

However, if I can transact below 1 sat/vB using some of these wallet options, can I simply copy the raw transaction and broadcast it in the Bitcoin Core console? Apparently, my Bitcoin Core can broadcast transactions below 1 sat/vB. Did I configure it correctly?

Code:

minrelaytxfee=0.00000100
incrementalrelayfee=0.00000100

In sat/B this is 0.1 sat/B

I don't use Bitcoin Core so unfortunately I won't be able to help you to configure anything. However, Bitcoin Core was the first Bitcoin wallet that supported below 1 sat/vByte transactions. So if set set up correctly, it should work. You also need to be connected to peers that also support below 1 sat/vByte transactions for them to propagate around the network properly.

I will tag @LoyceV here. He recently played around with configurations of both Bitcoin Core and Electrum to help him make below 1 sat/vByte transactions.
This GitHhub link contains a list with some nodes that you can connect to in order to help propagate your transactions. In the end, if nothing else helps, just paste the raw transaction into mempool.space and broadcast it from there.

[LoyceMobile]

My Electrum server can just broadcast low fee transactions on it's own. No need to manually copy the transaction.

[TheButterZone]

Why does Electrum 4.5.8 ignore manually-entered servers & refuse to switch from the connected node in the list, with Select server automatically unchecked?

I cannot safely upgrade to a higher version of Electrum without buying a new computer.

ETA: Oh, you need to paste electrum.labrie.ca:50002 or electrum.loyce.club:50002

Apparently it regexes out any input without the port.


Do each of you want to do the fork & PR thing to get your servers onto https://github.com/theDavidCoen/sub1sat-node-list ?

Mod note: consecutive posts merged

[LoyceV]

Do each of you want to do the fork & PR thing to get your servers onto https://github.com/theDavidCoen/sub1sat-node-list ?

I'm not going to do that. I've seen the link a few times, it's someone I've never heard of before at Github. His list has only 4 nodes. If anyone's interested to use my node, they'll either find it on Bitcointalk or Electrum will find it on it's own.