0.Summary
If CalorieCoin, a member of the Tron ecosystem, grows, Tron will also grow.
Likewise, if Tron grows, CalorieCoin, as part of Tron, will grow together.
Ⅰ. The Reasons Behind the Success of the Tron Ecosystem and Its Outlook
Tron has recently entered the top 10 in market capitalization—congratulations!
In its early days, Tron was ranked outside the top 100 in market capitalization. What are the key reasons behind its remarkable growth?
If you take a look at the historical price trend of Tron, you’ll notice that it has been steadily moving upward.
According to data from Token Terminal, as of August 2024, Tron recorded 225 million monthly transactions, $220 million in monthly fees, and 14.1 million active users.
Below are some of the recent key developments related to Tron:
| No. | Achievement | Details | Source/Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Revenue Growth | $151.2 million in Q3 2024 revenue, marking a 30% growth from the previous quarter. | BlockMedia |
| 2 | Launch of Meme Coin Platform “SunPump” | Issued 89,000 tokens; DeFi trading volume increased by 487%. | BlockMedia |
| 3 | TRX Price Surge | TRX surpassed $0.28 in December 2024, reaching its highest price since 2017. | BlockMedia |
| 4 | Entry into Top 10 Market Cap | Ranked 10th in cryptocurrency market capitalization as of December 2024, at $33.06 billion. | BlockStreet |
| 5 | On-Chain Metrics Growth | Daily transaction volume increased by 29% in Q2 2024. | BeInCrypto |
| 6 | Expansion of DeFi Ecosystem | Expanded user base through DeFi platforms like SunSwap and JustLend. | TRON Official Website |
| 7 | Increased Stablecoin Activity | Usage of USDT and USDD drove transaction activity on the Tron network. | TronScan |
| 8 | Technological Advancements | Upgraded the Tron Virtual Machine (TVM), improving smart contract efficiency. | TRON Foundation Technical Report |
| 9 | Community Growth | Expanded global user community through events, campaigns, and the Tron Forum. | TRON Official Twitter |
| 10 | Strengthened Partnerships | Collaborated with other blockchain networks via BitTorrent Chain (BTTC) and cross-chain technology. | BlockMedia |
Tron has maintained remarkable momentum in its growth trajectory. This success is well-justified when we consider the achievements listed above.
Ultimately, as the saying goes, “justice prevails” (事必歸正), and everything follows the natural order.
Many competing blockchain platforms launched in the late 2010s have been rendered obsolete by the mid-2020s. In contrast, while other second- and third-generation cryptocurrencies created around the same time have fallen behind, Tron remains the only one consistently moving forward and staying ahead of the curve.
Unlike its competitors, Tron has not only survived but continues to grow steadily, showcasing impressive progress by the mid-2020s. This sustained upward trajectory highlights Tron’s ability to deliver exceptional results in an ever-competitive blockchain landscape.
So, what sets Tron apart from other second- and third-generation blockchain platforms, enabling this level of success?
I believe the reasons can be analyzed under two key factors: A and B.
Ⅰ-01. Two Key Reasons Behind the Tron Ecosystem’s Success
A. First Point: The core essence of blockchain ultimately lies in the liquidity of decentralized data, specifically high-quality transactions.
A-1) TRON’s Fundamental Infrastructure Tailored to Consumer Needs (Speed, Affordability, and Ease of Development)
A-1)-① Economical: Low Fees and High Speed
To summarize, TRON is fast, and its TRX transfer fees are affordable.
Anyone who has used TRON for remittances would have experienced its rapid transaction speeds firsthand.
This efficiency plays a crucial role in retaining users, preventing them from switching to competitor blockchains, and attracting new users to the TRON ecosystem.
TRON’s performance speaks for itself, with the capability to process up to 2,516 TPS (transactions per second), far surpassing Bitcoin’s 7 TPS and Ethereum’s 119 TPS. (Source: https://chainspect.app)
Additionally, TRON introduces innovative concepts for transaction fees, utilizing Energy and Bandwidth, which allow transactions to be processed at an exceptionally low cost. This makes TRON not only fast but also highly economical, further solidifying its appeal as a blockchain platform.
A-1)-② TVM Development Environment (Enhancing High-Quality Transactions)
TRON: Fostering Synergy with Other Platforms
DApps on TRON are developed based on the TVM. Many other blockchain platforms have created proprietary languages without considering compatibility, which limits their development potential.
TRON developed its unique TVM based on Ethereum’s EVM for the benefit of various stakeholders, including consumers and DApp developers. This approach significantly lowers entry barriers for DApp ecosystem developers and facilitates ecosystem and transaction growth.
To elaborate:
- Smart Contract Compatibility: TRON is compatible with Ethereum’s smart contracts, allowing DApps to be developed using the Solidity language. This enables easy migration of existing applications to TRON and the efficient development of new ones. Additionally, TRON’s smart contracts have the advantage of adjusting energy consumption costs between the contract issuer and the contract caller, allowing service providers to cover user fees.
- Developer-Friendly Libraries: TRON provides libraries like
tronwebthrough Trongrid, making it easy for developers to integrate with the TRON network. This simplifies ecosystem expansion. Tools such astronboxandTronIDEalso allow developers to easily verify and deploy smart contracts on the TRON network.
In conclusion:
- Convenient DApp Development through TVM
- Increase in DApp Volume
- Growth in High-Quality Transactions
These factors create a virtuous cycle.
Our CalorieCoin team would not have considered participating in the TRON Hackathon without the TVM development environment, as most blockchain developers are Ethereum-based.
This point cannot be overlooked: many other chains fail to benchmark EVM, which naturally deters DApp development.
DApps are essential to building ecosystems. If development is hindered, how can ecosystems and, consequently, transactions be created?
A-2) ★ TRON’s Balanced Ecosystem Development and Outstanding Support for DApp Ecosystem Growth
As mentioned earlier, the essence of blockchain lies in decentralized transactions of data, or in other words, data liquidity.
Without quality data, it holds no significance. Meaningless data or DApp projects cannot create value.
TRON’s success stems from focusing on the essence of the ecosystem rather than a short-term perspective. Ecosystem building is crucial in ensuring liquidity.
This can be summarized as:
Liquidity = Volume of Decentralized Transactions = Ecosystem Development.
Now, let’s examine the actions TRON has taken to build its ecosystem.
TRON’s focus on the volume of decentralized transactions—the core of blockchain’s essence—has been key to its success.
But is having many transactions and DApps enough? Is quantity everything? Certainly not. Quality matters.
One high-quality data point is worth far more than numerous meaningless ones. A valuable DApp project outweighs 100 generic ones.
In this regard, TRON truly stands out compared to other ecosystems, with meaningful projects like Steemit, BTCC, and JUST DAO.
TRON invests in DApps with a focus on value and significance, unlike some large ecosystems that prioritize sheer numbers with superficial projects.
The foundation of all liquidity lies in the ecosystem. For any Web3-based startup with a strong business model, joining a solid ecosystem like TRON is naturally appealing.
This ecosystem is the central theme of this event.
Ultimately, TRON’s ecosystem has grown thanks to the contributions of its members, each achieving remarkable results.
Below is an overview of the TRON ecosystem.
Each project within TRON’s ecosystem includes high-quality DApps, which generate meaningful transactions that hold significant value.
Unlike other platforms, TRON boldly engages in corporate M&A, such as the acquisitions of Steemit and BitTorrent, to actively expand its user base and transaction volume—key components of any blockchain ecosystem.
As a result, TRON’s robust ecosystem attracts many users, creating a virtuous cycle where successful DApps further strengthen the platform and drive its growth.
Additionally, TRON consistently hosts hackathons, more frequently and reliably than any other blockchain platform, to continually expand and develop its ecosystem.
By hosting regular hackathons, TRON continues to increase the number of ecosystem participants.
Thanks to the robust ecosystem already in place, the accessibility and engagement with the mainnet extend well beyond the hackathon events.
Unlike other blockchains that hold hackathons irregularly, TRON has consistently organized them, with the 7th Hackathon successfully held since 2022.
As shown below, with a $650,000 prize pool and 1,349 participants, the event has attracted talented individuals from across the globe, demonstrating the significant interest in TRON’s ecosystem.
Our team has also grown significantly through the TRON Hackathon and continues to contribute to the development of the TRON ecosystem.
This level of support fosters ecosystem expansion, and the generous prize pool of $650,000 provided essential funding for our project. As a result, entrepreneurs find it relatively easier to become part of the TRON ecosystem compared to other platforms.
As I write this on December 18, we’ve just received additional energy support from the TRON Telegram team. (I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Justin Sun and the TRON team.)
This highlights TRON’s unwavering commitment to supporting DApp teams like ours with the energy resources they need.
With strong incubation efforts, many DApps are being created, and when a project successfully establishes itself, it directly contributes to the growth of the TRON ecosystem, forming a virtuous cycle.
The TRON team consistently demonstrates its dedication by sparing no resources in supporting this process.
Our project, CalorieCoin, secured second place in TRON Hackathon Season 2.
The winner, JustMoney, is now ranked among the Top 10 TRON DApps, showcasing its success.
This kind of support for DApps naturally expands the TRON ecosystem, creating a virtuous cycle of meaningful and high-quality data accumulation.
A-3) Dedication of the TRON Ecosystem Team: Our Experience with Exceptionally Fast Responses
During our project, we received various advice and assistance from the TRON team.
In particular, the TRON DAO provided immediate responses and feedback through the TRON Forum.
This level of commitment has been felt not only by us but also by community users within the TRON ecosystem.
The record-breaking success of TRON did not happen overnight. It is the result of the collective efforts of the TRON Foundation, its developers, and external collaborators.
Over the past seven years, TRON has consistently ranked around the top 10 in market capitalization. With continued development, it has the potential to become an even more valuable blockchain in the future.
One day, we hope to see TRON included in physical ETFs or even index ETFs.
Looking forward to the long-term potential! 
Managing and building systems for such a vast ecosystem and numerous platforms is an incredibly challenging task, yet the TRON team has executed it brilliantly.
Our team has participated in hackathons based on other blockchain platforms and even won awards. However, due to various questions, feedback, and complicated procedures, there were instances where processes were delayed for over four months.
In contrast, with TRON, whenever we needed to communicate directly with team members through community DAO forums or Telegram, we never waited longer than 12 hours for a response.
Considering the seamless communication across the entire ecosystem, it’s clear that TRON’s team is deeply committed to preventing consumer attrition through their dedicated efforts.
A-3) Dedication of the TRON Ecosystem Team: Our Experience with Exceptionally Fast Responses
During our project, we received various advice and assistance from the TRON team.
In particular, the TRON DAO provided immediate responses and feedback through the TRON Forum.
This level of commitment has been felt not only by us but also by community users within the TRON ecosystem.
The record-breaking success of TRON did not happen overnight. It is the result of the collective efforts of the TRON Foundation, its developers, and external collaborators.
Over the past seven years, TRON has consistently ranked around the top 10 in market capitalization. With continued development, it has the potential to become an even more valuable blockchain in the future.
One day, we hope to see TRON included in physical ETFs or even index ETFs.
Looking forward to the long-term potential!
B. Second Point: A Precise Understanding of Human Emotions
B-1) Personal Marketing Strategy of TRON Founder Justin Sun (The Rule of Three: Memorable Blockchain Founders)
Justin Sun studied history at Peking University and earned his master’s degree from the prestigious University of Pennsylvania in the United States.
This is a rather unique career path in the blockchain industry. However, I believe it has had a profound impact on TRON’s success.
Instead of approaching the industry purely as a technical developer, Justin Sun has taken a highly humanistic and strategic perspective.
Branding Maker: The Rule of Three
Just as three major companies come to mind when thinking about automobiles, the same applies to blockchain founders.
In the case of cryptocurrencies, each has an associated image of its representative.
This aligns with the rule of three in branding, and TRON has successfully leveraged its founder’s brand to great effect.
As shown below, while I, of course, know who each representative is, the reality is that most people cannot immediately associate a clear image with the representatives of many cryptocurrencies.
This lack of recognition can pose a significant challenge to credibility, which is a critical factor in the cryptocurrency market.
In other words, while these figures undoubtedly exist and can be identified through a quick search, only a very small group of people actually know who they are.
I believe TRON is the cryptocurrency that has successfully established its founder’s branding.
The table below illustrates how each of the three cryptocurrencies evokes a distinct image in the public’s mind.
| Name | Ethereum | TRON | Dogecoin |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the Public Mind | Vitalik | Justin Sun | Elon Musk |
In summary, while the existence of a cryptocurrency founder is often known and can be found through research, people rarely have an immediate, intuitive recognition of the representative behind a given cryptocurrency.
For example, many members of the public mistakenly believe that Elon Musk created Dogecoin.
This highlights the importance of branding. Most cryptocurrencies fail to successfully brand their founders, but I believe TRON has achieved tremendous success in this regard.
Ethereum is associated with Vitalik Buterin, Bitcoin with Satoshi Nakamoto, and TRON with Justin Sun. While Satoshi remains a mystery, Justin Sun has positioned himself among the top three most recognized figures in crypto leadership.
Notably, Vitalik projects the image of a developer, while Justin Sun has cultivated the image of a polished entrepreneur.
In modern business, a leader’s personal branding is crucial. Justin Sun’s diverse actions have greatly enhanced TRON’s branding.
In summary, while the existence of a cryptocurrency founder is often known and can be found through research, people rarely have an immediate, intuitive recognition of the representative behind a given cryptocurrency.
For example, many members of the public mistakenly believe that Elon Musk created Dogecoin.
This highlights the importance of branding. Most cryptocurrencies fail to successfully brand their founders, but I believe TRON has achieved tremendous success in this regard.
Ethereum is associated with Vitalik Buterin, Bitcoin with Satoshi Nakamoto, and TRON with Justin Sun. While Satoshi remains a mystery, Justin Sun has positioned himself among the top three most recognized figures in crypto leadership.
Notably, Vitalik projects the image of a developer, while Justin Sun has cultivated the image of a polished entrepreneur.
In modern business, a leader’s personal branding is crucial. Justin Sun’s diverse actions have greatly enhanced TRON’s branding.
B-2) Ingenious Personal Branding Through Noise-Driven Events
(Banana Giveaway, Warren Buffett Lunch, Space Event, and More)
I think Justin Sun is an incredibly sophisticated and charismatic individual. While I haven’t met him personally, I believe he is both cautious and highly strategic.
One of the reasons I admire him is his courage to show his face—something rare among cryptocurrency leaders.
Justin Sun is a genius in personal branding and business strategy. He understands that elevating his personal value directly impacts the growth and perception of the entire TRON ecosystem.
By meeting high-profile figures such as Jack Ma, Warren Buffett, and Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao, Justin Sun has naturally built a trustworthy and positive image for himself and TRON.
These interactions have left a lasting impression, reinforcing trust and confidence in TRON as a brand.
The image depicts Justin Sun consuming a $6.2 million meal in one go.
The statement, “The attribution of value in modern art aligns closely with the value of blockchain,” resonates deeply with me.
This concept, I believe, is why Sun meme coins have gained such popularity. Value can only be attributed to something when strong branding exists.
Justin Sun seems to have a deep understanding of this. Rather than merely flaunting his billionaire status, he conveys meaningful messages to the public and builds a positive image through personal branding.
In doing so, he elevates the brand image of TRON, leaving a lasting impression on cryptocurrency investors. This, in turn, significantly contributes to TRON’s long-term market capitalization and ecosystem growth.
In essence, this is an ideal investment approach, not just an act of showing off wealth.
Why, then, would he host such a lavish dinner event despite its enormous cost?
Is it simply because he can afford it? I don’t think so.
I believe it stems from his unwavering focus on advancing the TRON ecosystem—staying true to its core essence.
B-3) Entrepreneurial Leadership
Acquisition of Steemit, a Web3-Based Blogging and Social Media Platform
The Tron Foundation, established in 2018, acquired Steemit in 2020 to expand Web3 technology.
Steemit is a blockchain-based social media platform that allows users to create content and earn cryptocurrency (Steem) as rewards.
The reason behind TRON’s acquisition was to strengthen the Web3 technology ecosystem and enhance the potential for decentralized content-sharing platforms.
As a result of this acquisition, Steemit has gained the support of the TRON blockchain, enabling faster transaction speeds and lower fees. Simultaneously, TRON solidified its position in the content-based platform sector.
This move provided users with greater opportunities for rewards while demonstrating the value of Web3 and decentralized content platforms.
Acquisition of BitTorrent, a File System Platform
In 2018, TRON acquired BitTorrent, a pioneer in peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing. BitTorrent is the largest decentralized file-sharing system in internet history, utilized daily by millions of users worldwide to transfer data.
Through this acquisition, TRON opened the door to integrating blockchain technology with file-sharing platforms, paving the way for a decentralized file storage and content distribution platform. Based on this foundation, TRON developed BTFS (BitTorrent File System), a decentralized file system.
Unlike traditional centralized cloud services, BTFS enables secure data storage and sharing while restoring ownership of files to users.
The combination of TRON and BitTorrent offers a more transparent and efficient file-sharing environment, showcasing a practical application of blockchain technology in everyday life.
Establishing an Open Network with Other Blockchain Platforms
TRON has focused on building an Open Network, emphasizing interoperability with various blockchains rather than being confined to a single platform.
To achieve this, TRON utilizes cross-chain technology and bridge services, enabling seamless data exchange with other blockchain networks. Notable examples include its integration with major networks such as Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain, and Polygon.
This allows users to benefit from TRON’s fast and cost-effective transaction capabilities while freely accessing assets and applications from other networks.
This strategy has played a critical role in expanding decentralized finance (DeFi) and the NFT ecosystem, exemplifying TRON’s “open technology philosophy” and commitment to collaboration across the broader blockchain ecosystem.