What Is Dust?

Dust refers to minuscule amounts of bitcoin left unspent in a transaction, often so tiny that the cost of transacting them surpasses their value. Imagine it akin to finding a foreign coin in your pocket; it's currency, but potentially too insignificant to convert or use. In Bitcoin, dust might be something like 0.00000021 BTC or 21 satoshis. While there isn't a universally agreed-upon definition of what constitutes "dust," amounts below 400 satoshis are often considered in this category. As the value of bitcoin varies, so can the perception of what is considered dust. The challenge with dust is that the fees on the Bitcoin network can render these minuscule amounts impractical to move. Though the specific threshold of "dust" can differ among Bitcoin wallets, all recognize its inherent limitations.