THORChain

🧠 Rujira isn’t a L2, why that matters more than you think !

Most blockchains scale by extending outward: launching Layer 2s, deploying rollups, and bridging assets between execution environments.

👉But THORChain is taking a different path.

@RujiraNetwork isn’t a rollup, nor an optimistic sidechain, and not a separate virtual machine either.

⚙️ It’s an embedded application layer, running inside THORChain’s base chain, secured by the same validator set, governed by the same consensus, and producing blocks on the same schedule.

And that design choice matters. Here’s why. ⤵️

📊THORChain State of the Network - Affiliate Fees

Affiliates are a core part of THORChain, enabling integrators such as wallets and protocols to earn fees directly from executed swaps.

This model enables:

1⃣Affiliates to leverage native cross-chain swaps to generate revenue.

2⃣THORChain to expand its user base and increase swap volume.

It’s a win-win: THORChain provides the infrastructure and frontends bring the users. ⚡️

Let’s look at how this plays out in the data. ⤵️

⚡️GM Chads

Tag in a Wallet/Aggregator that you think needs a @THORChain / @SwapKitPowered integration👇

Still a few are missing out 😆

📍WEEKLY ECOSYSTEM RECAP

Yeah baby, it's time to take a look at who's pushing @THORChain onwards, and how.

GM World 👋

Who's having fun with the maxis down at the Bitcoin Conference today?

How Much Volume Will @RujiraNetwork Perps Bring in?

DeFI on THORChain: The Need of an App Layer

THORChain has long held a unique position in crypto infrastructure, enabling seamless, decentralised cross-chain swaps between native assets like $BTC and $ETH.

But despite this tech breakthrough, it faced structural limitations. Unlike Ethereum or Cosmos THORChain wasn’t built to support general-purpose DeFi applications.

Still, native DeFi remains a shared dream among crypto enthusiasts, from Chads to core contributors. The mission: to build trustless, permissionless finance without bridges or centralised intermediaries.

#ThorFi was seen as the answer, but it ultimately fell short.

Now, all eyes are on @RujiraNetwork, the App Layer that finally brings that vision to life. ⤵️

💡Community Spotlight #3: DASHBOARD ALCHEMIST
We're back again in our ongoing series where we shine a light on the people who help empower THORChain

⚡️We're constantly reaching out to interview standout contributors and our 3rd guest is Data Wizard and THORChain Veteran @rykcrypt

Let's throw this Chad some love because it's well-deserved and he takes the time to provide us all with great insights.

Here's what we can all learn from his journey.

🚨V3.6.0 - That Means It’s Rujira Time

This upgrade is all about #Rujira and is finally happening on May 22nd 2025
Why now?
Because builders can’t be held back any longer. It's time to BUILD. SHIP. SCALE.

❗️Remember that this is just the start, and RUJIRA won't be live instantly as it's rolling out steadily and progressively.

The @RujiraNetwork team and their community have been waiting excitedly for the App Layer, and Chads are ready to start using #RUJITrade along with the rest of the product suite.

Here's what you need to know.

PROTOCOL SPOTLIGHT: @Ctrl_Wallet - The Upgrade of a Cross-Chain OG

If you’ve been around the block(chain), you’ve surely used XDEFI - one of the first real cross-chain wallets. Totally battle-tested and community-loved.

Now? It’s CTRL Wallet. A new name with a new vision.

❗️Just dropped: CTRL’s founder @goitbykojiro announced a long-term services agreement to fuel their next phase of growth.

So it’s a great time to put the spotlight on CTRL.
This isn’t just a rebrand, Chads, so let’s break it down for you.

$XRP integration is almost here ⏳

▫️ Scanning goes live next week once churning resumes
▫️ Vaults and pool bootstrapping likely in the following churn.

Get ready 🔁

⚡ Ecosystem Recap

Big milestones, fresh integrations, and more utility across the board. 🙌

Let’s dive in ⤵️

THORChain v3.5.0 goes way beyond a version update. It’s a critical structural release that tightens the engine across every layer.

Multiple high-impact PRs have landed simultaneously, including:

⚪️ A full refactor of Bifrost
⚪️ Security hardening in outbound transaction logic
⚪️ Major aggregator upgrades
⚪️ And most notably, the rollout of TCY, a new protocol-native yield token built to realign incentives after the ThorFi shutdown

Let’s break down the most significant changes in v3.5.0 and explain exactly why they matter for protocol operators, liquidity providers, and the next wave of cross-chain integrations…. ✍️

Maximum confirmations required for a BTC deposit has been reduced from 3 to 2 ✅

⚡️ $XRP is coming to THORChain - and it’s a bigger win than you think.
On April 11th, XRP went live on THORChain’s stagenet.

This milestone integration led by the @strangelovelabs and @ninerealms_cap teams is a gigantic win for our community.

Because this deployment is one of the final phases before full mainnet activation, expected imminently. Its implications extend far beyond technical novelty, so here’s what you need to know.

State of the Network 27/04: THORChain’s Node Network Rebounds Stronger Than Ever

The sunset of ThorFi, the Bybit hack, and a radical shift away from inflationary block rewards could have been a breaking point. For many protocols, it would have been.

But for THORChain?
It became a stress test = one the network passed with resilience and growing conviction.

⚡️Today’s network state shows something simple but very profound:
When incentives shrink and stress hits, true belief steps up from chads!

Now let’s dive into the numbers behind THORChain’s recovery

⚡️Revenue Reset: The Move to Real Yield

A few months ago, THORChain made a cool change-up:
Block rewards (inflationary emissions) were removed.
Node Operators now earn solely from liquidity fees! Now that’s real, protocol-driven activity.
If you’re thinking this is just a payout change = No way!

This is a gigantic shift from “get paid for securing blocks” → to “get paid for growing the ecosystem.”
Real work for real rewards.
Shoutout to chad @rykcrypt !

From Shutdown to Showtime: How THORFi’s Sunset Gave Birth to TCY, the DeFi Token You need To Know About

What do you do when your protocol hits the brakes, the community panics, and “rug” rumors start flying?

If you're THORChain - you build.

What happened with the THORFi was a moment of reckoning. Lending and Savers features were suddenly frozen when node operators activated a circuit breaker in response to rising protocol risk. It was swift. It was dramatic. And many got worried.

“Is THORChain insolvent?”
“Is this the end?”
“Did I just get rugged?”

But they missed one crucial fact: THORChain is profitable. One of the rare DeFi protocols actually generating real, on-chain revenue. The circuit breaker wasn’t a death blow, it was a lifeline. A high-pressure valve releasing before real damage could occur.

And from that turbulence, something pretty incredible emerged.

Mainnet upgrade to v3.5 is scheduled at block 20940000 estimated at 1 May 2025 at 3pm UTC

TCY is included in this update, but will not be enabled until Monday, May 5th

Join tomorrow for a Space with @familiarcow and meet the new CEO of Nine Realms @simonhmorris ⚡️

Covering TCY launch, new chains, roadmap, and Q&A

4 years since the genesis block 🍾