Base Fee
The base fee is the minimum amount of gas required to include a transaction in a block within specific blockchain protocols, such as Ethereum after its major upgrades. This fee is dynamically adjusted by the network based on block demand to target a specific block size.
Unlike fees that go directly to validators, the base fee is typically burned or removed from circulation, which serves as a deflationary mechanism for the network token. By burning the base fee, the protocol aligns the interests of network participants with the long-term economic health of the ecosystem.
It prevents validators from manipulating fee markets by creating artificial congestion to inflate their earnings. Users must pay at least this amount to have their transaction considered for validation.