Why do I have to pay gas fees when I stake?

Gas fees are fees that all network users must pay in order to perform any function, conduct a transaction, or execute a smart contract on the Ethereum blockchain.

These fees are used to compensate Ethereum miners for the energy they need to verify transactions and provide a layer of security to the Ethereum network.

Gas fees fluctuate depending on the network congestion, so while there is no way to avoid paying for gas fees, you can bid your time and wait when it goes lower.

The Polygon network is a good alternative to Ethereum due to its significantly lower gas fees, but you still need to pay these fees in order to stake or unstake your tokens.