Your first USDT transfer in TronLink: step by step

Your first USDT transfer in TronLink needs three things: an activated address, Energy and a little Bandwidth. The shortest path is to check the address, get Energy through the instant purchase and then send the USDT.

In practice, it is five steps and a couple of minutes. Without Energy, the network burns ~6.85 TRX per transfer to an address with USDT or ~13.35 TRX per transfer to a new address.

Before you start

Make sure that:

• TronLink is installed from the official app store or the official website;
• your seed phrase is written down and stored offline;
• the address holds USDT TRC-20 and at least a few TRX to pay for Energy.

A TronLink address starts with the letter T and has 34 characters. You can copy it on the wallet's main screen.

What the first transfer costs

Where you are sending	Energy needed	TRX burned	Instant purchase
Address that already holds USDT	~65,000	~6.85 TRX	2.5 TRX
New address or exchange	~131,000	~13.35 TRX	5 TRX
Three transfers within an hour	up to ~196,000	up to ~20 TRX	7.5 TRX

The transfer amount does not affect Energy use.

Step 1. Check your address

1. Copy the address in TronLink.
2. Paste it into the address check.
3. Look at the result: TRX balance, Energy, Bandwidth, whether the address is activated.

If you want to know exactly how much Energy you need, add the recipient address in the second field. The checker will show whether it holds USDT.

Step 2. If the address is not activated

A new address is activated by its first incoming TRX transaction. If your address has only ever received USDT, it may not be activated.

In that case, either send a little TRX to it from an exchange, or add address activation to the order for 1.5 TRX.

Step 3. Get Energy

1. Open the instant purchase page. Copy the payment address or scan the QR code.
2. In TronLink, choose TRX and tap "Send".
3. Paste the payment address and enter exactly 2.5 TRX, 5 TRX or 7.5 TRX.
4. Confirm the transfer with your wallet password.

Send from the same address the USDT will be sent from. Energy goes to the address that sent the TRX. Do not pay from an exchange, or the Energy goes to the exchange.

Step 4. Confirm the Energy arrived

Energy arrives in 3–10 seconds. In TronLink, the address resources, Energy and Bandwidth, are shown in the account resources section. If it is empty, refresh the screen or open the address in TronScan.

In TronScan, the Resources tab shows delegated Energy, and the transactions list shows a DelegateResource record. Details in how to check Energy in TronScan.

Step 5. Send the USDT

1. In TronLink, open USDT and tap "Send".
2. Paste the recipient address. Compare the first, last and several middle characters.
3. Enter the amount.
4. On the confirmation screen, look at the resources: the wallet will show that Energy is used, not TRX.
5. Confirm with your password.

Energy lasts 1 hour. Unused Energy is not refunded, so send right away.

If TronLink shows that TRX will be burned

That means the address has less Energy than needed. Common causes:

• Bought 65,000, but the recipient is new. It needs ~131,000. Top up Energy before sending.
• The Energy has not arrived yet. Wait a few seconds and refresh the screen.
• Paid from a different address. The Energy went to the address the TRX came from.

Do not confirm the transfer until you see the required amount of Energy. If the transfer fails, burned TRX cannot be returned. See FAILED – OUT OF ENERGY.

In short

• Check the address and activation status before the transfer.
• Pay for Energy from TronLink, from the same address, not from an exchange.
• 2.5 TRX for a transfer to an address with USDT, 5 TRX for a new address or exchange.
• Watch the confirmation screen: it should show Energy being used.
• Send the USDT within an hour, while the Energy is active.

From the second transfer on, it gets faster: checking the address, paying for Energy and sending take about a minute.

FAQ

Do I need to keep a TRX reserve, as in Trust Wallet? In TronLink, Energy and Bandwidth are usually enough. About the Trust Wallet reserve, see Trust Wallet 28 TRX.

Is the free Bandwidth enough? Usually, yes. A USDT transfer uses about 350 units, and an address gets roughly 600 free per day.

Will the Energy service get access to TronLink? No. Only your public address is needed. Energy delegation gives the service no rights to your wallet.

A short version of this guide is in the TronLink guide, and prices are on the pricing page.