Ethereum News Today: Sun's Ethereum Bet vs. TRON's Crucial Upgrade: Can the Blockchain Keep Up?

Justin Sun, founder of the TRON blockchain ecosystem, has staked $154.5 million worth of Ethereum (45,000 ETH) through Lido, a liquid staking protocol, signaling a strategic shift in his crypto portfolio and underscoring confidence in Ethereum's long-term prospects, according to a Bitget report. This move brings Sun's total ETH holdings to $534 million, surpassing his holdings in TRON's native token, TRX. The staking action has sparked speculation about Sun's broader strategy, particularly as TRON prepares to roll out a major upgrade to its mainnet.

The TRON mainnet is set to launch the GreatVoyage-v4.8.1 (Democritus) upgrade in November 2025, according to a Bitget announcement. According to Lookonchain technical notes, the update includes support for ARM architecture and JDK 17, expanding the blockchain's operating environment. It also completes compatibility with Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) changes, particularly the SELFDESTRUCT instruction, to improve EVM consistency. The upgrade further optimizes node network operations, API performance, and database efficiency, aiming to bolster the mainnet's stability and scalability.

This upgrade aligns with a surge in TRON's network activity, driven by a 174% increase in decentralized exchange (DEX) volume to $3.04 billion in October 2025, alongside 87.7 million active addresses, the Bitget report noted. The growth highlights TRON's rising role in decentralized finance (DeFi), particularly in supporting Tether's USDT, which accounts for nearly 70% of the stablecoin's $122 billion total supply. Analysts note that TRON's focus on low-cost, high-speed transactions has made it a preferred platform for remittances and everyday users, though Ethereum's Layer-2 solutions like Arbitrum and Optimism continue to challenge its dominance in stablecoin transactions.

Meanwhile, Tether and TRON have collectively generated nearly $900 million in monthly crypto revenue in October 2025, driven by stablecoin interest income and transaction fees, according to a Coinotag report. Tether led the pack with $437.4 million in revenue, primarily from interest on its U.S. Treasury-backed reserves, while TRON earned $227 million from USDT activity on its network. Circle's USDC and related stablecoins added $222.5 million, reflecting the sector's resilience amid market volatility. The data underscores stablecoins' pivotal role in blockchain ecosystems, with TRON's infrastructure critical to sustaining USDT's liquidity and transactional efficiency.

Sun's staking of Ethereum through Lido, however, has raised questions about his commitment to TRON's future. While TRON has partnered with onboarding solutions like Halliday to attract retail and institutional users, TRX's price has faced downward pressure, dropping below a key support level at $0.2764, the Bitget report observed. Total Value Locked (TVL) in TRON's DeFi platforms also fell by 6.57% in the last 24 hours, indicating cautious market sentiment. Analysts suggest that the GreatVoyage-v4.8.1 upgrade could address scalability concerns and reinvigorate investor confidence, particularly as Tether reported $10 billion in profits from U.S. Treasury holdings in 2025.

The interplay between Sun's Ethereum staking, TRON's technical upgrades, and the broader stablecoin landscape illustrates the dynamic evolution of blockchain infrastructure. As competition intensifies, TRON's ability to maintain its edge in low-cost transactions and network efficiency will be crucial to sustaining its position in the DeFi and stablecoin ecosystems.