Crypto glossary
TRC-20
TRC-20 is the token standard of the Tron blockchain, modelled on ERC-20 and best known as the most widely used network for transferring USDT.
TRC-20 defines the same basic functions as Ethereum's ERC-20, such as balances, transfers and approvals, for smart contracts on Tron's virtual machine, which is largely compatible with the EVM. Tron addresses start with a capital T, and fees are paid in TRX or covered by staking TRX to obtain resources called energy and bandwidth.
Its prominence comes from Tether. USDT on Tron became a favourite for exchange transfers, remittances and payments in emerging markets because transfers are fast and usually cheaper than on Ethereum. Many exchanges list USDT TRC-20 as a separate deposit and withdrawal network, and a large share of all USDT moves on Tron.
Users must pick the right network: USDT sent as TRC-20 to an address expecting ERC-20 or BEP-20 may not arrive, and recovery depends on the receiving platform. Tron's popularity has also made it a tool for scams and illicit flows, and Tether has frozen many TRC-20 addresses at the request of authorities.
Example
A freelancer withdraws 300 USDT from an exchange choosing the TRC-20 network, pastes a Tron address starting with T, and receives it within a minute for a small flat fee.