In the ongoing debate about which blockchain truly delivers financial inclusion to the unbanked, a surprising contender has emerged: TRON. According to Qiao Wang, founder of AllianceDAO, the answer isn’t Bitcoin, Ethereum, or even Solana—it’s TRON that’s making real-world impact in emerging economies.
This perspective, sparked by a viral Twitter thread, challenges widely held assumptions in the crypto community and invites a closer look at how blockchain adoption actually unfolds on the ground.
The Real-World Use Case: TRON and Financial Inclusion
Qiao Wang recently shared a reflection on his 2023 realizations—namely, that Ethereum never truly served the unbanked. Despite its technical sophistication and decentralized ethos, Ethereum’s high gas fees and scalability issues have limited its accessibility in low-income regions.
Similarly, Bitcoin’s volatility and slow transaction times make it impractical for daily financial use. Solana, while fast and cheap, is still too new and lacks the ecosystem depth needed for mass adoption in underserved markets.
So who filled the gap?
TRON.
According to Wang, TRON has become the backbone of stablecoin activity in emerging economies—particularly through TRC-20 USDT (Tether on the TRON network). On-chain data confirms this: TRON consistently ranks as one of the top blockchains for USDT transactions by volume and number of transfers.
More importantly, firsthand conversations with users in countries like Nigeria, Vietnam, Turkey, and Argentina reveal that many rely on TRON-based USDT for remittances, savings, and peer-to-peer trading—often bypassing traditional banking systems entirely.
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Why TRON Succeeded Where Others Didn’t
Several factors contributed to TRON’s unexpected dominance in financial inclusion:
1. Low Transaction Costs
TRON offers near-zero transaction fees—often fractions of a cent. This makes microtransactions feasible, a crucial feature for users living paycheck to paycheck or sending small remittances across borders.
2. Early Adoption of USDT
TRON was one of the first major blockchains to integrate Tether (USDT), the world’s most widely used stablecoin. By supporting USDT early via the TRC-20 standard, TRON positioned itself as a go-to network for stable value transfer.
3. Exchange Support and Distribution Power
The rise of TRON can’t be separated from the influence of major exchanges. Binance, Huobi, and OKX all played pivotal roles by listing TRX and enabling USDT deposits/withdrawals over the TRC-20 network.
At a time when these platforms were competing with their own stablecoins—BUSD, HUSD, USDK—they needed a neutral, efficient settlement layer. TRON fit the bill perfectly.
As Mindao Yang, founder of dForce, noted:
“The biggest secret for USDT/Tron USDT adoption in their early days is the support from Binance/Huobi/Ok, trading pairs, perps, OTC etc. The very reason USDT/Tron managed to secure their supports is relative neutrality.”
Unlike exchange-specific stablecoins, USDT on TRON wasn’t tied to any single platform’s agenda—making it more widely acceptable across ecosystems.
Justin Sun’s Vision: Banking 8 Billion People
TRON founder Justin Sun responded to Qiao Wang’s post with a bold reaffirmation of his mission:
“For Tron, everything is also in the early stages, our vision is to serve the 8 billion people around the world. In fact, on this point, we are not doing enough. I have always hoped to get more people to help us realize this vision. For this, we are willing to do anything.”
— H.E. Justin Sun (@justinsuntron)
This ambition isn’t just marketing rhetoric. With over 140 million unique addresses and more than 5 billion transactions processed, TRON has built infrastructure at scale—especially in regions where traditional banking infrastructure is weak or corrupt.
In countries facing hyperinflation or capital controls—such as Argentina, Venezuela, and Lebanon—TRON-powered USDT acts as a digital dollar alternative, preserving purchasing power and enabling cross-border commerce.
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The Neutrality Advantage in a Fragmented Ecosystem
One of the most underappreciated aspects of TRON’s success is its perceived neutrality.
While Ethereum is often associated with Western DeFi culture and Bitcoin with libertarian ideals, TRON carved out a space by focusing on utility over ideology. It didn’t push decentralization dogma; instead, it delivered speed, low cost, and compatibility with existing financial behaviors.
This pragmatism resonated with users who care less about blockchain purity and more about whether they can send money home quickly and affordably.
Moreover, Tether (USDT), though issued by a centralized entity linked to Bitfinex, gained trust in non-Western markets partly because it operated outside U.S.-dominated financial rails. For users in regions with strained diplomatic ties to America, this independence was an advantage—not a flaw.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Is TRON really more used than Ethereum for remittances?
Yes, in many emerging markets. While Ethereum dominates in DeFi and NFTs, TRON handles significantly more stablecoin volume—especially USDT transfers. Its low fees and fast confirmations make it ideal for cross-border payments.
Q: Isn’t TRON criticized for being too centralized?
Yes, critics argue that TRON relies heavily on a small number of super representatives (nodes), raising centralization concerns. However, for users prioritizing reliability and low cost over decentralization, this trade-off is acceptable.
Q: Can TRON support smart contracts like Ethereum?
Absolutely. TRON supports Turing-complete smart contracts using a model similar to Ethereum’s. Developers can build dApps, tokens, and DeFi protocols on TRON using Solidity-like syntax.
Q: Why do exchanges prefer TRC-20 USDT over other versions?
Because TRC-20 transactions are faster and cheaper than ERC-20 (Ethereum) or BEP-20 (Binance Smart Chain). Many exchanges default to TRC-20 for USDT withdrawals unless users specify otherwise.
Q: Does using TRON require trusting Tether?
To some extent, yes. Since USDT is central to TRON’s utility, users must trust Tether Ltd.’s reserves and transparency. However, third-party audits and regular attestations have helped maintain confidence.
Q: What’s next for TRON in financial inclusion?
TRON continues expanding partnerships with payment gateways, mobile wallets, and OTC desks in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. Long-term goals include integrating with national digital ID systems and offline payment solutions.
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Final Thoughts: Utility Over Ideology
The story of TRON isn’t glamorous by crypto purist standards. It lacks the philosophical allure of Bitcoin or the technological elegance of Ethereum. But in the real world—where people need affordable, reliable ways to store and transfer value—it works.
Financial inclusion isn’t achieved through whitepapers alone. It requires infrastructure that’s accessible, easy to use, and integrated into daily life. TRON may not be perfect, but it’s proving that pragmatism often wins over principle when it comes to serving the unbanked.
As Qiao Wang put it:
“You might find it shocking, absurd, or even disgusting—but I’ll keep using this example to remind myself to stay objective and adaptable.”
In a space driven by innovation and idealism, sometimes the most impactful solutions are the ones we overlook.
Core Keywords: TRON, USDT, financial inclusion, stablecoin adoption, blockchain for unbanked, decentralized finance (DeFi), emerging markets