Thorchain

THORChain introduced Rapid Swaps, an upgrade to their existing Streaming Swaps feature. While Streaming Swaps split large trades across multiple blocks to reduce slippage, Rapid Swaps execute multiple sub-swaps within the same block. **How it works:** - Protocol matches opposing trades against each other rather than just the liquidity pool - Functions as a peer-to-peer matching layer on top of the AMM - Example: A BTC→ETH swap and ETH→BTC swap in the same queue settle against each other instantly **Key details:** - Frontends must explicitly activate the feature - Increased volume generates more affiliate fees for integrators - 75% of network revenue flows to nodes and liquidity providers - Portion of fees burned daily

Trust Wallet has launched a new AI agent kit that incorporates THORChain for executing cross-chain swaps. The integration enables AI-powered bots to leverage THORChain's permissionless native liquidity infrastructure for automated trading across different blockchain networks. **Key Points:** - Trust Wallet's AI agent toolkit now supports THORChain integration - AI agents can execute cross-chain swaps using permissionless liquidity - The integration builds on Trust Wallet's existing THORChain support for users Read more: [Trust Wallet AI Crypto Trading](https://yellow.com/news/trust-wallet-ai-crypto-trading)

**Maya Protocol is expanding its role in cross-chain infrastructure** As 9 Realms transitions out of THORChain, Maya Protocol is stepping in to handle development and maintenance. The team is dedicating one developer plus shared infrastructure across both ecosystems. Meanwhile, **Cardano integration is imminent**. Stagenet testing for $ADA and v129 is live, with mainnet release expected within days. Liquidity will be seeded gradually, with more tokens coming after launch. **New tools launched this week:** - [THORStackAPI](https://thorstackapi.com) - Free API for builders (REST, WebSocket, gRPC) - Limit Orders now live in THORWallet - [Vault Explorer](https://vaultexplorer.com) - Visual guide to THORChain's custody system - [leodex V2](https://leodex.io) - 0.45% fees across 107+ DEXes - Node-level privacy option increases censorship resistance 10x **Notable milestone:** ZenGo surpassed 1M Android downloads. Unstoppable Wallet's duress mode feature allows multiple unlock PINs - each revealing different wallet sets for security when traveling.

**The Challenge** Integrating privacy-focused UTXO blockchains into DeFi protocols presents a fundamental technical problem. Cryptocurrencies like Zano operate with privacy by default - there are no visible balances for protocols to interact with. **The Solution** Zano's upcoming Hardfork 6 introduces **gateway addresses** as a potential solution. This innovation could enable privacy chains to integrate with cross-chain protocols like THORChain. **Why It Matters** This development addresses a core limitation preventing privacy-preserving cryptocurrencies from participating in broader DeFi ecosystems. Gateway addresses may provide the technical bridge needed for private chains to maintain their privacy features while enabling cross-chain functionality.

THORChain's liquidity pools suffer from a structural inefficiency: external arbitrage bots extract $3 million monthly by correcting price deviations that average 0.40% from market rates. **The Problem** - $800M in monthly arbitrage volume flows to external traders - Users experience suboptimal swap execution - Pool prices lag behind real market rates **The Solution** Rujira Network's App Layer implementation uses: - Dynamic concentrated liquidity tracking oracle prices - Smart contracts that correct deviations faster than external bots - Direct integration with THORChain's enshrined oracle system (deployed August 2025) **Projected Impact** - Capture 10-50% of arbitrage volumes ($190K-$925K monthly) - Tighter spreads and faster execution for users - Value retained within the ecosystem instead of extracted This demonstrates how App Layer builders can optimize base protocol infrastructure without modifying the core system. The approach internalizes arbitrage profits while improving user experience through better price accuracy.

**Bridges don't actually move your assets** - they lock them in vaults and issue wrapped tokens as IOUs. When you bridge ETH to Solana, your real ETH sits locked while you receive a synthetic token representing a promise to unlock it later. **This architecture creates a critical vulnerability**: the system must maintain perfect synchronization between locked assets and minted synthetics. Major exploits include: - Wormhole: $320M lost - Ronin: $600M lost - Nomad: $190M lost **THORChain uses a different approach** with atomic swaps. When swapping ETH for SOL, your Ethereum enters a threshold-signature vault while native Solana from a separate vault goes to your address. No wrapped tokens exist. **Key differences**: - Bridge hack → your wrapped tokens become worthless - Atomic swap → transaction either completes or refunds, no synthetic tokens at risk **The tradeoff**: Native swaps are slower and more expensive than bridges, but eliminate the failure mode where users discover their wrapped tokens have no backing. With atomic swaps, you never hold someone else's promise.

THORChain released its Q4 2025 ecosystem report showing significant activity across its decentralized liquidity protocol. **Key Metrics:** - $4.02B in swap volume - 108,000 unique swappers - 1.22M total trades - $5.02M collected in swap fees - Beta launch of swap.thorchain.org **2026 Roadmap Highlights:** - Solana integration - ZCash support - Rapid Swaps feature The numbers represent a slight decrease from Q3's $4.5B volume and 1.8M swaps, though the platform maintained strong user engagement with over 100,000 active swappers. [Read the full report](https://blog.thorchain.org/thorchain-q4-2025-ecosystem-report-2026-roadmap/)

**THORChain v3.14.0** addresses several critical issues affecting user experience and network operations. **Key Fixes:** - **Swap Speed Restored**: Fixed bug causing trade assets (BTC~BTC) and secured assets to take ~13 minutes instead of instant settlement - **Vault Recovery**: Automated retry system for failed refunds from retired vaults, eliminating manual intervention - **Quote Consistency**: Removed randomness in quote queries to ensure same inputs always return identical results - **Outbound Safety**: All transactions now checkpointed immediately to prevent silent failures **Technical Improvements:** - Retired vault balances automatically recovered and refunded - Streaming swap time estimates now accurate for rapid swaps - Enhanced node safety with automatic retry mechanisms These updates resolve operational overhead, improve swap reliability, and strengthen the overall network infrastructure for cross-chain liquidity.

**Vultisig** rolled out its new DeFi tab on iOS, enabling **one-tap access** to DeFi on Rujira Network and THORChain directly from vaults. **CALC Finance** announced grid trading coming soon to Rujira Network, offering advanced trading strategies within the native cross-chain stack. **Rujira Network** simplified cross-chain UX with omnichain logic - users just deposit USDC and the network handles everything else. No chain switching or extra steps required. **SwapKit** secured another major integration as CoolWallet joined to access THORChain routes for cross-chain flows, advancing native interoperability.

**THORChain node operators are being urged to vote on a crucial Mimir update** that promises to enhance network efficiency. The update specifically targets: - **Arbitrage support** - providing better tools for arbitrageurs - **Network optimization** - improving overall system performance - **Operational efficiency** - streamlining network operations This follows a previous October proposal to scale the App Layer by increasing TVLCAPBASIS to 15,000, which aimed to unlock deeper liquidity across the protocol. **Node operators play a critical role** in THORChain's governance, with their votes determining key protocol upgrades and parameter changes that affect the entire ecosystem. The community is actively encouraging participation to ensure the network continues evolving and maintaining its competitive edge in decentralized liquidity provision.