What are network fees?
A network fee is a small payment you make to process a transaction on a blockchain. It pays the network for the computing power needed to validate and complete your action (like sending tokens or interacting with a smart contract). You can learn more about network fees in this blog post: Understanding Crypto Costs: Transaction and Network Fees.
World App normally covers network fees, so you can transact smoothly without worrying about extra costs. However, in some situations, the app may not be able to sponsor the fee. World may update or modify its fee sponsorship policies at any time.
When this happens, you’ll see the amount of WLD needed to continue. This process is called a self-sponsored transaction and helps ensure your transaction can still be completed without interruption.
This system is powered by ERC-4337 account abstraction and a third-party ERC-20 paymaster, which pays the network fee upfront and is reimbursed in WLD.
Why this happens
You may be asked to cover the network fee for a transaction when:
- Network activity is unusually high.
- Our daily limits for sponsored transactions have been reached.
In these cases, the app temporarily pauses sponsorship only for that transaction and switches to a backup flow.
What you’ll see in the App
When a network fee is required, the app will guide you clearly:
-
A message will display the exact amount of WLD needed.
- You’ll see an option to accept and continue.
- Once confirmed, the transaction proceeds normally.
- No advance setup is needed — the app notifies you only when a fee is required.
How the Self-Sponsored Flow Works
- You start a transaction as usual.
- World checks whether it will sponsor the network fee.
- If not, your wallet shows a quote from a third-party paymaster.
- The quote tells you how much WLD is needed to cover the fee.
- If you accept, the paymaster pays the fee upfront.
- During the transaction, the paymaster is instantly reimbursed in WLD.
Everything happens in a single, secure on-chain process.
Translations may differ slightly from the original English content. For the most accurate information, please refer to the article's English version if any discrepancies occur.