TRC20 is a technical token standard that defines how tokens are created and managed on the TRON blockchain. Released in 2018, TRC20 enables developers to create tokens with predictable behavior, ensuring that all compliant tokens can be stored in the same wallets and traded on the same exchanges.
What Is the TRC20 Standard?
The TRC20 standard is a set of rules implemented as a smart contract on the TRON network. Any token that follows these rules is considered a TRC20 token. The standard requires specific functions that allow wallets, exchanges, and applications to interact with any TRC20 token in a consistent way.
Required TRC20 Functions
Every TRC20 token must implement these six required functions:
- totalSupply: Returns the total number of tokens in circulation.
- balanceOf: Returns the token balance of a specific address.
- transfer: Sends tokens from the caller address to a recipient.
- transferFrom: Allows a third-party to transfer tokens on behalf of the owner, used in DeFi applications.
- approve: Allows a spender such as a smart contract to withdraw up to a specified amount of tokens.
- allowance: Returns the amount a spender is still allowed to withdraw from an owner account.
Optional TRC20 Parameters
TRC20 tokens may also include optional parameters:
- name: The human-readable name of the token (for example, Tether USD).
- symbol: The ticker symbol (for example, USDT).
- decimals: The number of decimal places the token uses (USDT TRC20 uses 6 decimals).
TRC20 vs ERC20 Standard Comparison
TRC20 was modeled after the ERC20 standard on Ethereum and shares a very similar interface. The key differences are:
- TRC20 runs on TRON; ERC20 runs on Ethereum.
- TRC20 transactions use TRON resource model (Bandwidth and Energy) rather than Ethereum gas.
- TRC20 offers much lower transaction costs and faster confirmation times.
- Despite similar function names, the two standards are not cross-chain compatible.
Popular TRC20 Tokens
The most prominent TRC20 token is USDT (Tether), which accounts for the majority of TRC20 transaction volume. Other TRC20 tokens include various DeFi tokens, gaming tokens, and project-specific utility tokens built on the TRON network.
The TRON network high throughput of over 10,000 transactions per second makes it well-suited for high-volume token transfers, which is why USDT TRC20 has become one of the most used stablecoin transfer methods globally.
Yes, creating a TRC20 wallet with apps like TronLink, Trust Wallet, or Zengo is completely free. You only need a small amount of TRX tokens to cover network resource costs when making transactions.
Yes. A TRC20 wallet supports TRX (the native TRON token), TRC10 tokens, and all TRC20 tokens including USDT-TRON, BTT, WIN, and many more TRON-based assets.
Sending TRC20 tokens to an ERC20 address (starting with 0x) will likely result in permanent loss of funds. Always verify that the destination address starts with T and that both parties support the TRON network.