Protocol Native Fee

Definition

A protocol native fee is a transaction cost or service charge denominated in the underlying or governance token of a specific decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol. Unlike blockchain gas fees, which pay for network computation, native fees are collected by the protocol itself for its services, such as facilitating derivative trades, lending, or liquidity provision. These fees are often used to fund protocol development, reward token stakers, or contribute to an insurance fund. The structure of this fee is defined within the protocol’s smart contracts. It aligns incentives for participants.