TRON Updates SELFDESTRUCT with TIP-6780 Proposal

Key Highlights

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  TRON proposes TIP-6780 to modify the SELFDESTRUCT opcode, aligning compatibility with Ethereum and improving contract safety.
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  Contract data will now only be deleted if SELFDESTRUCT is called within the same transaction that created the contract.
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  The accompanying v4.8.1 update increases FullNode memory minimums to 12GB and implements non-blocking HTTP APIs for smoother network performance.

TRON's SELFDESTRUCT Opcode Update

Developers of TRON have proposed an update in the form of TIP-6780, changing the workings of opcode SELFDESTRUCT on the blockchain. It would make TRON more consistent with Ethereum while still supporting all existing Ethereum tools and applications.

The SELFDESTRUCT function allows a smart contract to permanently self-delete, clear its storage, and transfer its remaining assets. Under the new TIP-6780 proposal, the data of a contract will be deleted only when the SELFDESTRUCT function is invoked within the same transaction that created the smart contract.

If the function is called later, the contract stops running, but its data remains accessible, and assets can still be moved. This helps prevent accidental loss of funds and misuse of the function.

The energy cost for executing SELFDESTRUCT rose from 0 to 5,000, making it more expensive and less appealing to use unnecessarily. Old methods, like using SELFDESTRUCT to upgrade contracts or protect data, won’t work under this new approach.

Analysis of 2025 data shows there were 957,324 internal transactions. Almost all were “create and destroy in the same transaction.” Once a contract self-destructs, its address is never reused, meaning most current contracts won’t be affected by the change.

The update will be released via hard fork and will be activated by on-chain governance. Developers are encouraged to employ safer, more predictable designs for smart contracts. This further improves security, making the construction of apps across TRON and Ethereum easier.

Other Updates from TRON Core Devs

TRON’s v4.8.1 update is underway, with testing in progress. The update will be deployed to the Nile testnet first, then a full release in about a month.

Minimum memory requirements for FullNode setups have been increased from 9GB to 12GB for both x86 and ARM nodes, requiring minimum hardware of 8 CPU cores and 32GB RAM. This change helps the network handle heavy loads and keeps everything running smoothly, even if some nodes go offline.

Besides that, the team is improving TRON’s HTTP APIs by switching to a non-blocking system for rate limits. This means users won’t be stuck in a wait when lots of requests roll in, and applications will keep working as usual.

In short, all these changes make TRON safer, more developer-friendly, and closer to Ethereum, yet retain the reliability of the network for all.