According to Tether's data, the Tron network was once the most cost-effective blockchain for USDt (Tether) transfers. However, by late 2024, its gas fees for USDT transactions surged above $9 per transfer.
Tron founder Justin Sun announced that USDT—Tether’s stablecoin—will soon enable gas-free transactions on the Tron blockchain.
In a February 25 post on X, Sun revealed:
"Tron’s 'gas-free' feature for USDT—eliminating the need for TRX to pay gas fees—will launch within the next week."
Sun invited teams and wallets interested in supporting this feature to contact JustLend DAO, Tron’s official lending platform.
Once considered one of the most affordable networks for USDT transfers, Tron has recently become one of the most expensive.
Tron Now Among the Costliest Networks for USDT Transfers
Tether’s GasFeesNow data shows TRC-20 USDT gas fees are currently the highest across supported blockchains, ranging from $3.20 to $6.50—compared to $0.40 for ERC-20 USDT.
The page notes:
"Estimating gas fees on Tron is complex."
TRC-20 transfers require wallets to have "energy" and "bandwidth", which many regular users lack.
TRC-20 USDT Gas Fees Peaked in Late 2024
Fees spiked dramatically in December 2024, hitting over $9 per transaction on December 9.
This led to user complaints:
"Tron used to be the cheapest option for USDT, but now it’s far behind."
Tron’s Gas-Free Solution in Development Since Mid-2024
The Tron Foundation has been working on gas-free TRC-20 tools since July 2024. Sun initially planned a Q4 2024 release, stating:
"Such services will empower large companies to deploy stablecoin solutions, advancing blockchain adoption."
👉 Stay updated on Tron’s latest developments
FAQs
1. What is Tron’s "gas-free" USDT feature?
It allows TRC-20 USDT transfers without TRX gas fees, reducing costs for users.
2. Why did Tron’s USDT fees increase in 2024?
Network congestion and rising demand for TRC-20 transactions drove fees up.
3. How can users minimize TRC-20 USDT fees now?
Optimize wallet energy/bandwidth or wait for the gas-free upgrade.
4. Will this affect other tokens on Tron?
Initially, only USDT will support gas-free transfers.
5. How does JustLend DAO fit into this?
It facilitates lending/borrowing to support the gas-free system’s infrastructure.
Related: Mansa Raises $10M to Expand Stablecoin Cross-Border Payments