Wallet Setup

Get Started Step 2 of 5

✓ Safety Watchlist 2 Wallet Setup 3 TRX Basics 4 Your First Transaction 5 Official Links

Before you begin

Read the Safety Watchlist first. Knowing the active threats on TRON makes every decision in this guide make more sense.

Choosing a Wallet

Different wallets suit different needs. The table below covers the three realistic options for most users.

Wallet	Type	Best for	Custody
TronLink (browser)	Software, hot	Daily use, DApp interaction	Self-custody
TronLink (mobile)	Software, hot	Mobile access, QR payments	Self-custody
Ledger (hardware)	Hardware, cold	Long-term storage, large balances	Self-custody

Self-custody means you hold the keys

None of the options above are custodial — the exchange or developer does not hold your funds. If you lose your seed phrase, no one can recover your wallet. This responsibility is yours.

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Option 1: TronLink Browser Extension

TronLink is the primary browser wallet for TRON. It supports all major DApps and the full range of transaction types.

Installation

1. Open the Chrome Web Store (or Edge Add-ons) and search for “TronLink”. The legitimate publisher is Helix Tech Company Limited. Do not install any other result.
2. Click Add to Chrome (or Get on Edge). After installation, the TronLink icon appears in your browser toolbar. Pin it for easy access.
3. Open TronLink. On the welcome screen, choose Create Wallet if this is your first wallet, or Import Wallet if you have an existing seed phrase.

Creating a New Wallet

1. Set a strong password. This password encrypts the wallet on your device — it is not your seed phrase.
2. TronLink displays your 12-word seed phrase. Write it down on paper. Do not screenshot it. Do not type it into any app or website.
3. Store the paper in a physically secure location. Consider two separate copies in two locations.
4. TronLink prompts you to confirm the seed phrase by selecting words in order. Complete this step — it verifies you recorded it correctly.
5. Your wallet is created. Your TRON address (starting with T) is displayed at the top of the TronLink popup.

The seed phrase is your wallet

Anyone who has your 12 words has complete, permanent access to every asset in your wallet — now and forever. No protocol, no company, and no support team can override this. Guard it accordingly.

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Option 2: TronLink Mobile

The TronLink mobile app is available on iOS and Android. It is appropriate for smaller amounts you actively use, not for long-term storage.

iOS: Download from the Apple App Store. Publisher: Helix Tech Company Limited.
Android: Download from Google Play. Publisher: Helix Tech Company Limited. Install TronLink Global — see note below.

TronLink Pro vs. TronLink Global

On Android, you may see both TronLink Pro and TronLink Global in Google Play. Both are official applications by Helix Tech Company Limited, but they serve different needs:

• TronLink Global (com.tronlink.global) is the version currently recommended on the official website. It is the most up-to-date version for international users.
• TronLink Pro (com.tronlinkpro.wallet) is a legacy version still maintained for existing users.

New users should install TronLink Global. If you are currently using the “Pro” version, you can continue to do so, but the Global version will receive feature updates first. No on-chain action is required to switch — your address and funds are the same across both.

The seed phrase setup process is identical to the browser extension. A wallet created in the mobile app uses the same seed phrase format, so you can import the same wallet across devices if needed.

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Option 3: Ledger Hardware Wallet

A hardware wallet keeps your private key on a dedicated physical device that never exposes the key to your computer or the internet. For balances above a threshold you would not want to lose, this is the correct choice.

Requirements

• A Ledger Nano S Plus or Ledger Nano X (both support TRON)
• Ledger Live desktop application

Setup

1. Initialize the Ledger device following the printed instructions in the box. This generates the seed phrase on-device. Write it down on the provided recovery sheet.
2. Open Ledger Live. Navigate to My Ledger and search for the TRON app. Install it.
3. In Ledger Live, go to Accounts and click Add account. Select TRON and follow the prompts. Your Ledger device must be connected and unlocked with the TRON app open.
4. Ledger Live creates a TRON account. Your TRON address is visible in the account view.

To use DApps with a Ledger, connect TronLink browser extension and use the Connect Hardware Wallet option inside TronLink. This routes transaction signing through the Ledger device while TronLink handles the DApp interface.

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Account Activation

A newly created TRON address does not exist on-chain until an activation transaction creates the account record on the ledger. This is called activation.

What activates an account:

• TRX transfer — sending any amount of TRX to a new address activates it immediately. The network executes an AccountCreateContract operation and burns 1 TRX as the account creation fee.
• TRC-10 token transfer — also activates the account on-chain.
• TRC-20 transfer (USDT, USDC, etc.) — does not formally activate the account. The address will receive and hold the tokens, and the balance will be visible on TRONSCAN, but the account record is not created. You will not be able to send those tokens out until the account is activated by receiving TRX first.

Practical implication: If your first deposit is USDT from an exchange, send a small amount of TRX to the same address before attempting any outbound transaction. Without it, the wallet will show the USDT balance but any send attempt will fail.

The 1 TRX activation fee is charged to the sender and burned by the protocol — it does not go to any recipient. When you withdraw TRX from an exchange to a new wallet, the exchange typically absorbs this as part of their withdrawal fee.

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Backing Up Correctly

Write, don't type

Always write seed phrases by hand on paper. Typing them into a note-taking app, email draft, or password manager creates a digital copy that can be exposed in a breach.

Two copies, two locations

Store one copy at home and one in a separate physical location (safety deposit box, trusted family). One copy destroyed in a house fire means total loss.

Never photograph it

Phone photos sync to cloud services automatically. A photo of your seed phrase in iCloud or Google Photos is accessible from any device logged into that account.

Test before you fund

After setup, verify you recorded the phrase correctly: create a second wallet, transfer a tiny amount of TRX to your new address, then try importing your seed phrase into a fresh TronLink installation. Confirm the balance appears.

Step 2 of 5 — up nextTRX Basics

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