ETHGas officially launches governance token $GWEI: ushering in a new era of gas-free Ethereum

Beijing Time January 19, 2026 08:00, Ethereum Infrastructure Protocol ETHGas takes a snapshot of governance token $GWEI , officially kicking off its “Genesis Harvest” airdrop event.

This marks a key step forward for Ethereum towards the goal of “real-time execution, predictable costs, and large-scale gas-free transactions.”

01 Project Core: $GWEI Token Vision and Mechanism

The ETHGas protocol aims to fundamentally change the usage pattern of Ethereum block space, addressing current issues such as transaction delays, unpredictable fees, and mempool competition.

The governance token $GWEI issued by the protocol is the core tool to realize this vision.

GWEI holders will have governance rights over the protocol, participate in delegated voting, submit protocol proposals, and engage in emergency decisions. By staking GWEI, users can gain voting power, with longer staking durations increasing influence, thereby incentivizing long-term builders rather than short-term speculators.

In simple terms, ETHGas attempts to transform block space into a structured, tradable resource.

02 Airdrop Details: “Genesis Harvest” Based on Gas Spending

ETHGas has officially launched a community airdrop event called “Genesis Harvest.” The snapshot time is set for January 19, 2026, 00:00 UTC (which is 08:00 Beijing Time on January 19).

Airdrop eligibility will mainly depend on two core factors: users’ historical Gas expenditure and community contribution and verification. This means users who have paid real Gas fees on the Ethereum network and actively participated in the ecosystem are more likely to receive this “harvest” reward.

03 Industry Background: Revolutionary Drop in Ethereum Gas Fees

$GWEI 's launch coincides with Ethereum Gas fees entering a historic low phase. According to YCharts data, as of January 19, 2026, the average Gas price on Ethereum has dropped to 0.3592 Gwei.

Compared to 10.62 Gwei a year ago, this is a decrease of 96.62%.

Real-time data also confirms this trend. According to Etherscan monitoring, a low-priority transaction on the Ethereum mainnet now costs only about 0.028 Gwei, costing less than $0.01; Gas costs for token swaps are also stable around $0.03.

Layer 2 networks are even cheaper; for example, on Base chain, an ERC-20 transfer costs only about $0.001.

04 Technological Drive: The Future of Programmable Block Space

The sharp drop in Gas fees is no accident; it is mainly due to the successful implementation of Ethereum’s “Rollup-centric” scaling roadmap, especially the two major upgrades in 2025: Pectra and Fusaka.

The Fusaka upgrade introduces PeerDAS technology and plans to gradually increase the Gas Limit from 30 million to 60 million, allowing the network to flexibly adjust capacity.

The ETHGas protocol and its $GWEI token aim to build the next-generation application layer infrastructure on this foundation. It allows applications to pre-lock execution rights within block space, transforming transactions from “blind auctions” into “predictable reservations.”

05 Market Impact: From Concept to Reality

With the launch of $GWEI , ETHGas claims that “real-time Ethereum” is moving from theory to reality. If successful, this model will provide developers with a predictable execution environment and users with a near gas-free smooth experience.

Standard Chartered Bank recently predicted in a report that “2026 will be the year of Ethereum,” noting that Ethereum developers are working to increase blockchain transaction throughput tenfold within the next two to three years.

The protocol managed by $GWEI is a key infrastructure innovation moving in this direction.

Ethereum Gas Fee Trends (December 2025 - January 2026)

Below is the recent fluctuation of Ethereum’s average Gas price (unit: Gwei), visually showing a trend toward low and stable network fees:

06 Acquisition and Trading: Follow Gate Platform Updates

For investors and community members interested in $GWEI tokens, Gate, as a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, is expected to be one of the first platforms to list this asset. Users should closely follow Gate’s official announcements for the exact listing time, trading pairs, and initial price information.

Within hours after ETHGas officially announced the snapshot completion, discussions about “real-time Ethereum” and “gas-free transactions” surged by 300%. An Ethereum core developer commented: “It’s like introducing a reservation lane system for congested roads; while it can’t infinitely widen the road, it ensures that urgent and important traffic flows smoothly.”