Why Do Some Addresses Require Activation Fees?

In certain blockchains (e.g., TRON or Solana), activation fees are required due to their design mechanisms and resource management strategies. Generally, new addresses without transactions do not incur activation fees. Activation fees are typically charged when an address first receives a transfer or performs a specific operation.

Here are the main reasons for activation fees:

Ensuring Address Validity

• Address Initialization: Some blockchain systems require addresses to be initialized before use. Activation fees cover the minimum state storage needed to create an address, ensuring its functionality.

• Preventing Junk Addresses: Requiring activation fees discourages the creation of large numbers of unused or invalid addresses, reducing unnecessary blockchain storage usage.

Paying for On-Chain Resources

• Storage Resources: Every address on the blockchain occupies some storage space. Activation fees compensate node operators for storing and maintaining this data.

• Bandwidth and Computational Resources: Some blockchains use activation fees to allocate computational resources and bandwidth, such as energy and bandwidth on TRON, which are crucial for executing transactions.

Preventing Malicious Activities

• Abuse Prevention: Activation fees increase the cost of generating large volumes of unused addresses, reducing the risk of spam attacks (e.g., DoS attacks).

• Protecting Network Stability: By limiting the speed of address creation, activation fees reduce excessive consumption of node and network resources, ensuring blockchain stability.

Incentive Mechanism

• Resource Allocation: Activation fees are often distributed to miners or node operators as compensation for blockchain operational costs, providing financial incentives for network maintenance.