The landscape of stablecoin dominance has undergone a seismic shift. On May 22, TRON surpassed Ethereum in both circulating supply and total issuance of USDT, with over $77.7 billion worth of USDT now issued on its blockchain. This milestone marks more than just a technical achievement—it signals a broader transformation in how value moves across global financial systems.
As stablecoins grow increasingly vital within decentralized finance (DeFi) and cross-border payments, TRON’s rise to leadership reflects a powerful combination of technological innovation, cost efficiency, and strategic ecosystem expansion.
The Technical Edge Behind TRON’s Dominance
When it comes to blockchain adoption, two factors matter most to users: transaction speed and cost efficiency. TRON excels in both—offering performance that rivals traditional payment networks like Visa, while maintaining fees far below those of Ethereum.
Speed That Matches Real-World Demands
TRON processes transactions in seconds, supporting over 2,000 transactions per second (TPS)—comparable to mainstream payment processors. In contrast, Ethereum's base layer handles only around 30 TPS. During periods of high network activity, Ethereum frequently experiences congestion, leading to delayed confirmations and unpredictable user experiences.
This performance gap has driven traders, institutions, and remittance services toward TRON for time-sensitive operations where reliability is non-negotiable.
Ultra-Low Transaction Costs
Cost is another decisive advantage. The average transaction fee on TRON remains well under $1**, with advanced optimization techniques allowing users to reduce costs to as low as **$0.20—or even zero in certain cases.
👉 Discover how low-cost blockchain transactions are reshaping digital finance.
Fees on TRON are structured around bandwidth and energy resources:
- Bandwidth: Automatically replenished daily at no cost.
- Energy: Can be purchased or rented—renting reduces costs by up to 80%.
- Frequent users can maintain average transfer costs around $0.50, significantly undercutting other major blockchains.
Compare this to Ethereum, where gas fees can spike to $10–$20 per transaction during peak usage—making TRON nearly 100 times cheaper for stablecoin transfers.
Introducing GasFree: Redefining On-Chain Accessibility
In April 2025, TRON launched GasFree, a groundbreaking feature that eliminates the need for native tokens (TRX) to pay for transactions. Instead, users can pay fees directly in USDT when transferring stablecoins.
This innovation dramatically lowers the entry barrier for new users who may not want to hold multiple cryptocurrencies just to move funds. By aligning transaction costs with the most widely used asset on its network, TRON strengthens its position as the premier infrastructure for stablecoin issuance and circulation.
Continuous Innovation: The Backbone of TRON’s Growth
While often perceived as marketing-driven in earlier years, TRON has quietly evolved into a technically robust platform through consistent upgrades. Founder Justin Sun outlined a four-phase vision in 2018: Exodus, Odyssey, Great Voyage, and Star Trek. As of May 2025, TRON is operating under GreatVoyage-v4.8.0 (Kant)—a major upgrade reflecting deep technical maturity.
Key improvements in the Kant release include:
- EIP-1153 – Temporary Storage: Reduces smart contract execution costs by 35%, enhancing efficiency for DeFi applications.
- Prototype Sharding (EIP-4844): Enables interoperability with Ethereum Rollups, boosting cross-chain throughput to 1,500 TPS.
- EIP-5656 – Memory Copy Optimization: Cuts DApp deployment time by 50%, improving developer experience and accelerating innovation.
These upgrades aren’t just incremental—they represent a systemic push toward scalability, interoperability, and long-term sustainability.
From Stablecoin Leader to Global Financial Infrastructure
TRON’s success isn’t limited to technology alone. Its ecosystem has expanded rapidly, transforming it from a niche blockchain into a full-fledged financial infrastructure.
According to CryptoQuant’s 2024 TRON Yearly Report:
- Monthly transactions grew from 129.8 million in February to 239.6 million in October—an 84% increase.
- Total annual transactions reached 2.38 billion.
- As of May 20, 2025, TRON hosts over 307 million accounts, up 40% year-over-year.
- Total Value Locked (TVL) exceeds $23.6 billion.
USDT Drives Real-World Adoption
TRC20-USDT dominates the network, accounting for 98.5% of all stablecoins issued on TRON. Daily transaction volume averages $19 billion, fueled by demand in emerging markets and international remittances.
Every time Tether mints new USDT on TRON, liquidity across DeFi protocols increases in tandem—creating a positive feedback loop between stablecoin growth and ecosystem development.
👉 See how real-world demand is fueling blockchain adoption today.
Strategic Expansion and Regulatory Engagement
Beyond technical metrics, TRON has strengthened its global influence through high-profile partnerships and proactive compliance efforts.
In Q1 2025, the Trump family launched World Liberty Financial (WLF), purchasing significant amounts of TRX. Their affiliated stablecoin, USD1, debuted on Huobi HTX—further amplifying TRON’s visibility in U.S. financial circles. Founder Justin Sun was also invited to attend a private dinner with former President Donald Trump, marking TRON’s entry into American political discourse.
On the regulatory front:
- TRX has filed for a spot ETF with the U.S. SEC, which, if approved, would become the first crypto ETF supporting staking.
- TRON is collaborating with the government of Dominica and Tether’s T3 anti-financial crime unit to implement a FATF Travel Rule-compliant on-chain monitoring system.
These moves demonstrate a clear strategy: build scalable technology first, then engage regulators and institutions to ensure long-term legitimacy.
Future Outlook: Bridging Traditional Finance and Web3
As highlighted in Messari’s Crypto Thesis 2024, TRON possesses the infrastructure needed to drive mass crypto adoption—particularly in global payments. With AI integration and cross-chain advancements underway, TRON is positioning itself as the core settlement layer for next-generation financial services.
Justin Sun envisions TRON becoming the backbone of a new financial paradigm:
“Our goal is to serve as the central settlement layer for global transactions—delivering fast, low-cost financial services to institutions and individuals alike.”
With regulatory frameworks evolving and technological boundaries expanding, TRON is poised to become a critical bridge between traditional finance and Web3.
👉 Explore how blockchain networks are redefining global finance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Why did TRON surpass Ethereum in USDT issuance?
A: TRON offers faster transaction speeds (over 2,000 TPS), significantly lower fees (often under $1), and innovations like GasFree that allow USDT-based fee payments—making it more attractive for stablecoin transfers.
Q: Is TRON secure despite its low fees?
A: Yes. Low fees do not compromise security. TRON uses a Delegated Proof-of-Stake (DPoS) consensus mechanism with 27 elected super representatives, ensuring network integrity while maintaining high throughput.
Q: Can I use USDT on TRON for international remittances?
A: Absolutely. TRC20-USDT is widely used for cross-border payments due to its low cost and fast settlement—especially popular in regions with limited banking access.
Q: What makes GasFree different from other fee models?
A: Unlike most blockchains requiring native tokens for gas, GasFree allows users to pay transaction fees directly in USDT during stablecoin transfers—removing friction for non-crypto-native users.
Q: How does TRON support DeFi growth?
A: With over $23.6 billion TVL and 307 million accounts, TRON provides deep liquidity and high scalability for DeFi apps. Its efficient infrastructure supports rapid DApp deployment and seamless user experiences.
Q: Is TRON working with regulators?
A: Yes. TRON is actively engaging with authorities through initiatives like the TRX ETF filing with the SEC and building FATF-compliant monitoring tools with Tether and the Dominican government.
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