Anchorage Digital is finally adding support for TRON custody and Tron network staking, according to an announcement on Thursday. This marks the first federally chartered crypto infrastructure business to bring TRON "inside the regulatory perimeter," a spokesperson told The Block.

Founded in 2018, Tron has grown to become one of the most active blockchains, particularly as a means of sending USDT. There is some $84 billion worth of USDT on Tron, more than on Ethereum, according to The Block’s data.

Yet, the network has largely operated outside the United States. Coinbase, for instance, delisted the native TRX token in 2023, likely due to regulatory concerns. U.S.-regulated entities must perform rigorous due diligence on networks, founders, and usage patterns to avoid AML/BSA violations.

Tron and its founder, Justin Sun, have faced scrutiny over potential ties to illicit activities, including money laundering and sanctions evasion.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission dismissed claims over securities law violations against Sun and the Tron Foundation. Rainberry, the corporate parent of the Sun-owned BitTorrent network, paid a $10 million fine related to undisclosed promotions of the BTT token.

"As TRON expands its presence in the U.S., institutions need trusted infrastructure to securely custody assets and participate in the network," Anchorage co-founder Nathan McCauley said in a statement. "By supporting TRON on Anchorage Digital’s regulated platform, we’re helping bring one of crypto’s largest ecosystems into an institutional framework."

Notably, Anchorage had added support for Sui and Aptos — two chains with significantly less usage — before it had added Tron.

As part of the integration, Anchorage will support TRX token custody on its main platform and Porto institutional wallet. Support for additional TRC-20 assets and native TRX staking will roll out in phases. TRC-20 token support means institutions will be able to manage Tron-based stablecoins in their Anchorage accounts.

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While Anchorage is just one company, its support could be seen as a lowering of the regulatory wall that had been erected around Sun in recent years. Several exchanges also delisted XRP after the SEC sued Ripple, only to re-list the asset years later.

"Anchorage Digital provides a strong regulated foundation that helps expand secure institutional access to the TRON ecosystem," Sun said in a statement. 

Sun is a major investor in Trump family enterprises, including the TRUMP memecoin and the World Liberty Financial DeFi project. Several members of Congress, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, have criticized the SEC for dropping its Tron investigation, largely due to potential conflicts of interest.