TRON Just Changed the Game: SELFDESTRUCT Gets a Safer Upgrade with TIP-6780!
TRON Proposes Major Update to SELFDESTRUCT Function, Aligning Closer to Ethereum
TRON, one of the world’s leading blockchain platforms, is preparing a significant technical update aimed at improving smart contract security and interoperability with Ethereum. The proposed upgrade, known as TIP-6780, introduces major changes to the way the SELFDESTRUCT opcode operates on the TRON blockchain.
This update, currently under review by the TRON developer community, is expected to enhance contract safety while retaining full compatibility with Ethereum-based tools and applications. The changes are particularly important for developers and enterprises building decentralized applications (dApps) across multiple blockchains.
Understanding SELFDESTRUCT and Its Role in Smart Contracts
The SELFDESTRUCT opcode is a key function in many blockchain smart contracts. It allows a contract to permanently remove itself from the blockchain, clear its internal storage, and transfer any remaining assets to a specified address. While useful, SELFDESTRUCT has historically been a source of risk if misused, potentially leading to accidental loss of funds or security vulnerabilities.
Under the new TIP-6780 proposal, SELFDESTRUCT will behave differently. Contracts will only fully delete their data if the SELFDESTRUCT function is called within the same transaction that created the contract. If the function is invoked at a later point, the contract will stop running, but its data remains accessible, and assets can still be moved. This modification effectively prevents both accidental destruction of valuable information and malicious exploitation of contracts.
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| Source: Xpost |
In addition, the energy cost for executing SELFDESTRUCT will increase from 0 to 5,000 energy units. This adjustment makes using the opcode more expensive, discouraging unnecessary or reckless execution while encouraging safer, more predictable contract designs. Legacy methods that relied on SELFDESTRUCT for contract upgrades or data protection will no longer function under the new framework.
Impact on Existing TRON Contracts
TRON developers analyzed internal transaction data from 2025, which revealed a total of 957,324 internal SELFDESTRUCT-related transactions. Nearly all of these transactions were “create and destroy within the same transaction,” indicating that most smart contracts in operation today will remain unaffected by the proposed changes.
Another important detail is that addresses of self-destructed contracts are never reused. As a result, the new rules are largely backward-compatible, ensuring that the update will not disrupt ongoing dApp operations or create unintended downtime.
Governance and Hard Fork Activation
TIP-6780 is expected to be implemented via a hard fork, activated through TRON’s on-chain governance mechanisms. This means the community will vote on the adoption and schedule of the update, ensuring transparency and collective decision-making. Developers are strongly encouraged to adopt safer contract designs that align with the updated SELFDESTRUCT behavior.
By implementing these changes, TRON aims to offer a blockchain environment that is both safer for users and more predictable for developers, particularly those creating complex dApps or migrating applications from Ethereum.
Other TRON Core Updates: Network Performance and Developer Tools
The SELFDESTRUCT proposal is only one part of a broader set of improvements in TRON’s upcoming v4.8.1 update. The update is currently in the testing phase on the Nile testnet, with a full release expected in roughly one month.
One major network enhancement involves increasing minimum memory requirements for FullNode setups. The new requirements raise memory from 9GB to 12GB for both x86 and ARM architectures, along with a minimum of 8 CPU cores and 32GB of RAM. These changes are designed to help the network handle higher transaction loads and maintain stability even if some nodes temporarily go offline.
Additionally, TRON’s HTTP APIs are being upgraded to a non-blocking system for rate limits. Previously, users could experience delays if multiple requests were processed simultaneously. The new architecture ensures smooth API performance, allowing developers and applications to operate without interruption even under heavy usage conditions.
Combined, these improvements position TRON as a developer-friendly blockchain with enhanced reliability and security. The platform is taking steps to mirror Ethereum’s compatibility while retaining TRON’s own network strengths, creating a seamless environment for cross-chain application development.
Developer Implications and Industry Impact
For developers, TIP-6780 represents both a challenge and an opportunity. Smart contracts will require more careful planning to leverage SELFDESTRUCT safely. However, the update also reduces risk, making TRON a more appealing platform for enterprise-grade applications and high-value dApps.
Cross-chain projects, particularly those seeking to migrate Ethereum-based contracts to TRON, will benefit from the enhanced consistency between the two blockchains. By maintaining compatibility with Ethereum’s existing tools and standards, TRON developers can accelerate dApp deployment and reduce potential integration issues.
Security experts have praised the proposed changes, noting that SELFDESTRUCT has historically been one of the more error-prone functions in blockchain contracts. By limiting its destructive capability and increasing execution costs, TIP-6780 could significantly reduce accidental fund loss and contract vulnerabilities, improving overall confidence in the TRON ecosystem.
TRON’s Strategic Position in the Blockchain Landscape
TRON has long been recognized for its high throughput, low transaction fees, and focus on entertainment and gaming dApps. With the upcoming TIP-6780 and v4.8.1 updates, the blockchain is strengthening its appeal to enterprise developers and cross-chain projects.
As decentralized finance (DeFi) applications and tokenized assets continue to expand, the importance of secure and predictable contract behavior becomes increasingly critical. Updates like TIP-6780 reflect TRON’s commitment to addressing both security and developer usability, which may help the network capture additional market share from Ethereum and other Layer-1 blockchains.
Looking Ahead
The TRON community is now closely monitoring the testing phase of v4.8.1 on the Nile testnet. If successful, the hard fork implementing TIP-6780 will establish a new standard for contract destruction and data retention across the network. Developers are advised to review and update existing contracts and consider future-proof designs that take advantage of the safer SELFDESTRUCT functionality.
These updates come at a time when blockchain networks are increasingly focused on interoperability, security, and scalability. TRON’s proactive approach positions the network as a major player in both the DeFi space and broader dApp ecosystem, while offering developers tools to create robust and predictable applications.
Conclusion
TRON’s TIP-6780 proposal marks a significant milestone for the blockchain. By redefining the SELFDESTRUCT opcode and improving FullNode and API infrastructure, TRON strengthens its network security, developer accessibility, and compatibility with Ethereum.
This move is expected to make TRON more attractive to enterprise developers, cross-chain projects, and DeFi initiatives, positioning the network as a reliable and future-ready Layer-1 platform. As blockchain adoption grows, updates like TIP-6780 signal TRON’s commitment to safer, smarter, and more interoperable decentralized technologies.
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