TRON

Resource Model (Critical)

• TRON uses bandwidth and energy instead of gas — different from Ethereum
• Bandwidth for simple transfers — TRX transfers and basic operations
• Energy for smart contracts — TRC-20 tokens and dApps require energy
• Both resources regenerate over time — or can be obtained by freezing TRX
• Transactions fail without sufficient resources — no partial execution

Bandwidth

• Free bandwidth allocation daily — ~1,500 bandwidth points per account
• TRX transfers cost ~280 bandwidth — enough for ~5 free transfers per day
• Bandwidth regenerates over 24 hours — used bandwidth recovers gradually
• If bandwidth depleted, TRX is burned for transaction — more expensive than using free bandwidth
• Check bandwidth before batch transfers — running out mid-batch wastes TRX

Energy

• Required for TRC-20 transfers (USDT, etc.) — simple TRX doesn't need energy
• USDT transfer costs ~65,000 energy — significant amount
• No free energy allocation — must freeze TRX or pay
• Energy regenerates slowly after use — 24 hours for full recovery
• Without energy, TRX burned at high rate — can cost several TRX per transfer

Freezing TRX

• Freeze TRX 2.0: stake TRX to get bandwidth or energy — choose one per stake
• Minimum freeze is 1 TRX — but need substantial amount for meaningful resources
• Unfreezing takes 14 days — funds locked during unstaking period
• Frozen TRX still counts as balance — but not spendable until unfrozen
• Can delegate resources to other accounts — useful for managing multiple wallets

TRC-20 Tokens (USDT)

• TRON is major network for USDT transfers — lower fees than Ethereum
• TRC-20 USDT is different from ERC-20 USDT — not interchangeable without bridge
• Transfers require energy — freeze TRX or pay from balance
• Contract interaction may need approval — similar to ERC-20 approve
• Verify contract address — TRC-20 addresses start with T

Address Format

• TRON addresses start with "T" — base58 encoding
• 34 characters total — always verify full address
• Addresses are case-sensitive — unlike Ethereum checksums
• One address for TRX and all TRC tokens — unlike Solana's multiple accounts

Wallet Options

• TronLink is most popular — browser extension and mobile
• Ledger support via TronLink — hardware wallet integration
• Trust Wallet supports TRON — multi-chain option
• Klever wallet — TRON-focused option
• Never share private key — standard security applies

Transaction Characteristics

• Block time ~3 seconds — fast finality
• Transactions are free if bandwidth available — major advantage
• Failed transactions don't consume resources — unlike Ethereum gas
• Transaction ID (hash) for tracking — use tronscan.org

Staking and Voting

• Super Representatives (SR) produce blocks — 27 elected SRs
• Vote with frozen TRX — 1 TRX = 1 vote (Stake 2.0)
• Voting rewards vary by SR — some distribute rewards to voters
• Governance participation — SRs decide on network upgrades

Common Issues

• "Out of energy" — freeze more TRX or wait for regeneration
• "Bandwidth exceeded" — daily limit reached, wait or use TRX
• USDT transfer expensive — didn't have energy, paid in TRX
• "Invalid address" — check address format starts with T
• Slow transaction — network congestion, usually resolves

Exchanges and Transfers

• Most exchanges support TRC-20 USDT — often preferred for lower fees
• Verify network selection — sending TRC-20 to ERC-20 address = lost funds
• Memo/tag rarely required on TRON — unlike XRP, but verify
• Some exchanges require minimum balance — activation fee for new accounts

Security

• Private keys control everything — never share
• TronLink permissions persist — revoke dApp connections regularly
• Phishing sites common — always verify tronscan.org domain
• No smart contract risk for simple transfers — but dApps can have vulnerabilities