Staking (or "freezing") TRX is the mechanism by which TRON users acquire bandwidth and energy for transactions, as well as voting power to participate in network governance. It is one of the most important features of the TRON ecosystem for frequent users.

How to Freeze TRX

In most TRON wallets (TronLink, Exodus), you can navigate to the "Freeze" or "Stake" section, choose how much TRX to freeze, and select whether to receive bandwidth or energy in return. Your frozen TRX cannot be transferred while locked. To unlock it, you initiate an unfreeze action, which takes 14 days to complete.

Bandwidth vs Energy: Which Should You Choose?

• Freeze for energy if you frequently send USDT or other TRC20 tokens.
• Freeze for bandwidth if you mostly send TRX itself.
• Most power users freeze for energy as TRC20 transfers are more common.
• Unused energy and bandwidth replenish over 24 hours up to your allocated amount.
• Freezing also gives you voting power for Super Representative elections.

Staking Rewards

When you freeze TRX and use your voting power to vote for Super Representatives, you earn a share of their block rewards. Voting rewards are distributed in TRX and can be claimed manually at any time. This makes TRX staking a dual-purpose activity: lower transaction costs AND passive income.

When you freeze TRX, you lock your tokens temporarily. In exchange, you gain bandwidth or energy for transactions and receive voting power to influence the network.

— tronvstrc20.org

Key Takeaways

• Freeze TRX to get bandwidth and/or energy for free transactions.
• Freezing also grants voting power for Super Representative elections.
• Unfreeze takes 14 days — plan your liquidity accordingly.
• Unused bandwidth and energy replenish over 24 hours.
• Voting for SRs earns TRX staking rewards paid in TRX.