THORChain (RUNE)

The network’s native token, RUNE, sits at the centre of the system. It is used as the common settlement asset in liquidity pools, as an incentive for liquidity providers and node operators, and as part of the protocol’s security model. Node operators bond RUNE to help secure vaults that hold external-chain assets, while liquidity providers supply assets to pools and earn a share of swap fees.

THORChain is designed for traders, wallets, aggregators and DeFi applications that need access to native cross-chain liquidity. The protocol supports swaps among a range of major networks and assets, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, BNB, XRP, Litecoin, Dogecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Avalanche, Cosmos-based assets and stablecoins such as USDT, USDC and DAI, with availability depending on integrations and network status.

Unlike many bridges, THORChain focuses on direct asset exchange rather than token representation on a destination chain. That makes it a notable infrastructure project in decentralized finance, particularly for users who want to move between UTXO chains, EVM networks and other ecosystems while retaining exposure to the underlying native coins.