Assets, Ethereum

Why Does Ethereum Use Wei?

Wei is the smallest unit of Ether, and is named after the Chinese Ethereum Wei Dai. Wei has been chosen as the smallest unit of Ether because it allows for a high degree of granularity and precision when dealing with very small amounts of Ether.

For example, when sending 0.001 ETH, one can send 1,000,000 wei (which is still a very small amount).

The main advantage of wei is that it can be divided or multiplied by any other number, making it very versatile. For example, Wei can be divided into 1000 szabo or 1000 finney or 1000 ether, etc.

NOTE: WARNING: Ethereum’s use of Wei is a complex and nuanced subject. Understanding the nuances of Wei is essential for users who wish to use Ethereum in any capacity. Failure to understand how and why Wei is used in Ethereum transactions can lead to potential financial loss or other serious consequences. It is important to research, understand, and properly use Wei when transacting on the Ethereum network.

This makes it possible to price goods and services in very small amounts of ether, which is important when dealing with microtransactions.

Wei also has the advantage of being easily remembered and written down. The name Wei comes from the Chinese Ethereum Wei Dai, who created the concept of b-money, which was an early predecessor to Bitcoin.

The name Wei Dai also means “smallest thing” in Chinese, which makes it a perfect name for the smallest unit of Ether.

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