In this track: Digital value and units
Dust and very small balances
A tiny amount can be exact even when moving it costs more than the amount itself.
A single small coin still has a face value, even when posting it to someone costs more than that value.
1 ETH = 1000000000 Gwei = 1000000000000000000 Wei.
Small does not mean zero
One Wei is exactly 0.000000000000000001 ETH. An interface might round a tiny balance to 0.00 or show a less-than label. That is a display choice, not proof that the network records a zero balance.
Fees are a separate quantity
Moving a native balance can require an execution fee larger than the amount you want to send. A token transfer may need ETH for fees even when the token balance is tiny. This does not alter the exact unit relationship.
Unexpected assets deserve context
Someone can send assets or display misleading token information without your request. The appearance of a token in a wallet does not mean you should follow a link, approve a spender or pay to “unlock” it.
Inspect, do not guess
Use the exact unit converter to inspect small ETH quantities. For unknown tokens, keep contract identity and decimal context separate from the native ETH scale. Read the safety lessons before interacting with unsolicited assets.
Does a wallet display of 0.00 ETH prove an exact zero balance?
An abbreviated display can conceal a non-zero amount. Exact units reveal the actual represented value.
Original explanations by EtherTools. Examples are educational and source-linked; this site is independent of the Ethereum Foundation. Our approach.