As the name suggests, ETH is the fuel of the Ethereum blockchain. Since all transactions (including executable functions) need to be verified on any blockchain, there is a cost, as the nodes that provide this verification and security are rewarded in the form of fees for their efforts. For Ethereum, this behavior is called “staking.” The cost of this verification may vary depending on the complexity and number of transactions required for the dapp to perform its functions.

Since ETH itself is a cryptocurrency, its value also fluctuates as determined by the market. For these two reasons, Ethereum developers and community members refer to the amount of ETH required for the verification process as the “price of gas.”