Priority Fees

Solana’s base transaction fees are normally very low, but during periods of high network demand, transactions without a priority fee can be delayed or dropped as validators prioritize processing capacity for transactions willing to pay more. A priority fee is an additional amount you attach to a transaction to increase its odds of quick inclusion.

Most wallets and dApps set a priority fee automatically based on current network conditions, but you can usually adjust it manually — paying more when you need a transaction to land quickly (during a busy launch or volatile market), or accepting slower processing to save on fees when the network is quiet.

This matters most for time-sensitive actions like liquidation-avoidance transactions or trades during high volatility — see our lending risk and liquidation guide for why transaction timing can matter in those situations.