ERC20, TRC20 and BEP20 are token standards on three different networks: Ethereum, Tron and BNB Smart Chain
ERC-20 is Ethereum's token standard, TRC-20 is Tron's and BEP-20 is BNB Smart Chain's. TRC-20 and BEP-20 were built to match ERC-20, so the tokens behave alike, but they live on separate blockchains. "USDT ERC20" and "USDT TRC20" are the same coin on two networks: different addresses, different fee coins, and no way to send from one network to the other directly.
A shared set of rules for how a token works inside smart contracts. ERC-20 defines fungible tokens on Ethereum, where every token is exactly the same in type and value as another (ethereum.org). Exchanges use the standard's name as a label for the network.
What is the difference between ERC-20 and TRC-20?
ERC20
- Network: Ethereum.
- Address: 0x followed by 40 hex characters, 42 in total.
- Fees: paid in ETH, as gas.
- Proposed in November 2015.
TRC20
- Network: Tron.
- Address: 34 characters, starting with T.
- Fees: Bandwidth and Energy; TRX is burned for what staked resources do not cover.
- Compatible with ERC-20 at the interface level.
BEP20
- Network: BNB Smart Chain.
- Address: same 0x format as Ethereum.
- Fees: paid in BNB, similar to Ethereum gas.
- Created to extend ERC-20.
- 42characters in an Ethereum address, 0x plus 40 hexethereum.org
- 34characters in a Tron address, starting with Tdevelopers.tron.network
- 0free Energy quota on Tron: stake TRX or have TRX burneddevelopers.tron.network
Check an address and a network
Paste an address to see which format it matches. A 0x address could be Ethereum, BNB Smart Chain or another EVM network, so the format alone does not settle it.
Can I send USDT TRC-20 to an ERC-20 address?
No. Blockchains are isolated systems with their own rules, so tokens cannot move freely between them (ethereum.org). A TRC-20 transfer happens on Tron, and an Ethereum address is not a Tron address.
Tether's FAQ asks users to check that the destination address uses the correct protocol before sending.
To move USDT from Tron to Ethereum, you swap or bridge it. On an instant swap service that is a normal order: send USDT on Tron, receive USDT on Ethereum.
Why do I need TRX to send USDT on TRON?
A TRC-20 transfer is a smart contract call, and on Tron those consume Energy as well as Bandwidth. If the account has no staked or delegated Energy, TRX is burned to cover it.
Tron's documentation also warns that a fee limit set too low is a common way to have a transaction fail or lose TRX.
On Ethereum, the gas for an ERC-20 transfer must be paid in ETH, and on BNB Smart Chain in BNB. More in Gas fees.
USDT ERC20 and USDT TRC20 are different coins.
It is the same stablecoin, issued by Tether, on two networks. What differs is the network, the address and the fee coin.
An ERC-20 address can receive TRC-20 tokens.
A Tron transfer goes to a Tron address. The networks do not share addresses.
BEP20 is just ERC20 with another name.
The standards are alike, but BNB Smart Chain is a separate network. Tether's list of supported USD₮ networks does not include it.
Any network that lists USDT is fine.
Tether no longer issues or redeems USD₮ on Kusama, Bitcoin Cash SLP, Omni, EOS and Algorand.
Which network should I use for USDT?
Use the network your sending wallet holds the USDT on, and the network your receiving wallet or service accepts. If they differ, swap between them in one order rather than sending across.
Network-by-network details for stablecoins are in How to swap USDT to USDC, and what to do after a mistake in Wrong network or missing memo.
Questions
What is the difference between ERC-20 and TRC-20?
ERC-20 is the token standard on Ethereum and TRC-20 the one on Tron.
TRC-20 matches ERC-20's interface, but the tokens live on separate networks with different addresses and fee coins: ETH on Ethereum, Energy, Bandwidth and TRX on Tron.
Can I send USDT TRC-20 to an ERC-20 address?
No. Tokens cannot move freely between blockchains. Swap or bridge USDT from Tron to Ethereum instead.
Why do I need TRX to send USDT on TRON?
A TRC-20 transfer consumes Energy. Without staked or delegated Energy, TRX is burned to pay for it.
What is BEP-20 and is it the same as ERC-20?
BEP-20 is the BNB Chain token standard, created to extend ERC-20. It runs on BNB Smart Chain, a separate network, and its fees are paid in BNB.
What happens if I send tokens on the wrong network?
They land on the network you actually used. Whether you can reach them depends on who holds the keys of the receiving address. See Wrong network or missing memo.