> where do these transaction fees go and why do they have to be so high? They go to the miners who verify transactions. They're high because of the combination

> where do these transaction fees go and why do they have to be so high? They go to the miners who verify transactions. They're high because of the combination of the overall ridiculous price of bitcoin (since the miner gets paid in bitcoin) and the amount of computing power required to successfully mine. The latter means that miners are only willing to verify if the return over time will turn them a profit on the cost of hardware.