While Bitcoin is a decentralized blockchain designed as a peer-to-peer electronic cash, and Ethereum is a decentralized blockchain designed as a computing platform where users can deploy and use various applications, THORChain specializes in facilitating cross-chain liquidity.

In essence, THORChain operates as a decentralized exchange (DEX). This means users can seamlessly swap their BTC for ETH and vice versa despite these two crypto assets being native to different blockchains.

Before solutions like THORChain, users had to make these cross-chain swaps either on centralized exchanges like Binance or Coinbase, or they had to use wrapped versions, such as WBTC or WETH, which come with custodial risks, as wrapped assets are often centralized.

THORChain provides native asset settlement across blockchains using decentralized liquidity pools paired with its native token RUNE, for example, BTC/RUNE and ETH/RUNE. Anyone can become a liquidity provider by depositing an equal value of these assets into the pool, say $100 BTC and $100 RUNE. These pools are hosted on THORChain, which ensures network security by node operators locking in RUNE tokens to validate transactions.

 How Does a THORChain Swap Work?

Let’s say someone wants to swap BTC for ETH using THORChain’s network. Here’s how that looks:

1. The user interacts with THORChain through a compatible wallet or interface like the THORSwap DEX and enters the amount of BTC they want to swap for ETH.

2. THORChain doesn’t directly swap BTC for ETH. Instead, the BTC is sent to the BTC/RUNE pool and is swapped for RUNE.

3. The received RUNE is then sent to the ETH/RUNE pool, where it’s exchanged for ETH at the current price.

These steps happen simultaneously and the user doesn’t need to worry about what happens in the background.

RUNE is the native crypto token that serves four key roles within the THORChain ecosystem. It is used as a settlement asset in the liquidity pools and serves as economic security, since active validators must bond RUNE tokens to validate transactions. RUNE is also used for incentives to reward node operators with fees earned from swaps and gives holders governance rights.

 A Brief History of THORChain

The idea for THORChain dates back to 2017, with the project’s development starting a year later. In 2019, RUNE had its initial DEX offering (IDO) on Binance, with a maximum token supply set at 500 million. In 2020, the team launched the testnet with its core mechanics, with early integrations supporting Bitcoin and Binance Chain assets.

THORChain mainnet launched in 2021, and the RUNE token became an essential part of the liquidity pools and node operators. Its token price started rising from $1.12 as more exchanges listed the token, peaking at $21.26 in May 2021. And while the token price today hovers around the $0.80 mark, the project has grown substantially, with the THORChain ecosystem supporting over 70 apps and services, including Trust Wallet and Ledger Live, as well as its native THORWallet, THORSwap, and THORChain Explorer.

 Why RUNE Is Still Popular

As the native token of THORChain, the RUNE token plays an integral role in the platform’s operations and still attracts millions of users worldwide. The key reasons why crypto enthusiasts still flock to it include:

• THORChain is a mature Layer-1 blockchain with billions of dollars in swap volume.

• RUNE is an integral part of the ecosystem, powering swaps, providing liquidity, bonding nodes, and voting.

• Deflationary mechanics were introduced in 2025, when block rewards ceased and new RUNE tokens will no longer be issued. A portion of transaction fees from swaps and other network activities is burned to lower the token supply.

• The RUNE token is available on major exchanges like Binance, Kraken, and Crypto.com.

Is RUNE Still Worth Investing in Today?

THORChain (RUNE) has a market capitalization of $335.91M, making it one of the top 150 largest cryptocurrencies. Its 24-hour trading volume in September 2025 was around $40 million, showing investors continue to bet on the project.

Trading at around $0.80 apiece, RUNE’s price looks similar to its 2021 price before it took off to make all-time highs at $21.26. Could history repeat itself? It’s hard to tell. But THORChain has matured significantly over the past four years, while its token continues to maintain a decent price. Some investors could consider this a good investment opportunity.

Looking at RUNE’s daily chart, we can see buzzing activity, with the price just having broken through its current resistance level. This could pave the way toward $2.2 in the short term, with $5 being a reasonable target if bulls dominate the crypto market.

Aside from technical price charts that point to potential price increases in 2025, THORChain is also stepping up its game by implementing Rapid Swaps and Limit Swaps, two notable features that are planned to go live in Q4 2025 and could have a positive impact on the RUNE price. Implementing this will make THORChain look like an “orderbook” while keeping its unique features.

Rapid Swaps take advantage of opposite swaps pending in the Advanced Swap Queue, where instead of waiting for them to complete separately, the network executes them against each other within a single block.

Here’s what that means: When a user wants to swap BTC for ETH, the swap moves to the Advanced Swap Queue. There, THORChain scans the queue to find opposite swaps, in this case, ETH for BTC. If an opposite swap exists, the trades are netted and settled within the same block. This provides faster and cheaper swaps as it can process many transactions per block.

As crypto goes mainstream via spot ETFs and companies and countries starting to build their crypto treasuries, the demand for anonymous and native cross-chain swaps could also grow. With its unique features and the ability to earn rewards, THORChain is best positioned to capture this growing demand.

Additionally, when we weigh in both the technical aspect of the RUNE’s price chart and the upcoming technical advances of the THORChain network, investing in RUNE could still be worth it today. However, just as with any crypto investment, make sure to do your diligence and never invest more than you can afford to lose.

Where Can You Buy RUNE?

THORChain is a well-established crypto project, and interested investors can buy RUNE tokens at the best crypto exchanges. Let’s compare some of these options to help you choose the right one that meets your needs.

This table is updated regularly to help you find the right place to buy RUNE tokens.

How to Buy RUNE – Quick Steps

Buying RUNE tokens is straightforward. Here’s how you can do it in five simple steps using a CEX:

Step 1: Choose a Crypto Exchange

As we mentioned before, various centralized exchanges have listed RUNE, which is available to buy with cryptocurrencies like ETH, BTC, or stablecoins. In our example, we’ll show you how to buy RUNE on Binance, which is the leading crypto exchange by trading volume. Check out our Binance review to learn more.

Step 2: Create an Account and Complete KYC

Visit the Binance website and select “Sign Up”. Enter your email address and verify it. Make sure to create a strong password. Next, you have to pass a Know Your Customer (KYC) procedure to verify your ID. Use a government-provided ID, like a passport or a driver’s license, and follow the instructions. The entire process from opening your account and verifying it shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.

3. Deposit Funds

Once your account has been verified, you’ll have to deposit funds. Log in to your Binance account and select “Deposit” at the top of the screen. You can deposit crypto or buy crypto using fiat currency. Let’s assume you don’t have crypto. Select USD from the list of options, enter your amount, and select which crypto to buy. Go ahead with the default USD/USDT to buy the USDT stablecoin and select your preferred payment method.

4. Search for “RUNE” and Place an Order

At the top of the Binance interface, next to the “Deposit” button, you’ll find a search bar. Enter “RUNE” and select the RUNE/USDT option, and a new tab will open in your browser. If you want to buy it right away, enter the amount of RUNE and select the green button “Market Buy” in the middle of the chart. This means you buy RUNE tokens at the exact price at the moment you’re making the purchase.

5. Store Your RUNE in a Secure Wallet

You can store your RUNE in your Binance account, which is convenient if you want to sell it soon. However, this is a centralized exchange, meaning your assets are held on Binance. If the exchange is hacked or goes bankrupt, it could affect your token holdings.

We’ve already seen that happen with the FTX collapse in 2022 when users’ assets were frozen after one of the largest crypto exchanges went under. Granted, after almost three years, most users got some of their funds back, but that doesn’t account for all the stress and psychological pain it has caused.

Because of that, it’s often safer to withdraw your tokens into your personal wallet and store them there until you plan to sell. You can always send them back to your Binance account to sell or trade THORChain if you want to.

The safest way to store your RUNE tokens is to get some of the best cold storage wallets. These wallets are USB devices that keep your wallet’s private keys offline and require that you physically press buttons on the device every time you make a transaction. This means that even if your computer or a phone is compromised, no one can steal your RUNE tokens unless they have the cold wallet and the password to unlock it.

There are many ways you can make money with cryptocurrencies today, starting from presale investments to yield farming, airdrop farming, crypto lending and borrowing, and more. Once you get to know concepts like spot trading and using decentralized apps, take your time to learn advanced options like futures trading to see what works for you.

Things to Know Before You Buy THORChain (RUNE)

Before investing in any cryptocurrency, whether a meme coin or a utility-based coin like RUNE, it’s important to understand what the project is all about. Let’s consider some factors to keep in mind before you buy RUNE tokens.

Crypto Volatility

All cryptocurrencies are subject to volatility. Even Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency by market cap, has seen massive drawdowns during bear markets despite being held by companies and countries in their treasuries. Even the RUNE crypto itself saw massive volatility after peaking in 2021 at $21.26, which is now down to around $0.80 apiece. Many investors could see this as an opportunity to buy at a discounted price, but it also shows that the price can collapse below expectations.

Strong Competition

While THORChain offers native cross-chain asset swaps, it faces strong competition from centralized exchanges like Binance and Coinbase. Granted, THORChain lets users swap tokens anonymously, which is a major draw, but many users want the convenience of swapping coins offered by centralized exchanges, even if that means undergoing a KYC procedure.

High Upside, High Risk

THORChain is trading near its 2021 lows and has the potential to repeat its success because of its deflationary mechanisms and growing crypto adoption. If that happens, RUNE could make new all-time highs during the current bull run. However, the competition is not only strong in the cross-chain swap space, but also in the general crypto space. RUNE is now competing with thousands of new cryptocurrencies, most of which didn’t exist in 2021.

Buying RUNE on a Centralized Exchange (CEX)

We already covered the steps on how to buy RUNE tokens on a centralized exchange. However, we only covered buying through a market order. Market orders are those that execute the purchase at the exact moment at the best available market price. This is an excellent option for investors in a hurry who don’t care much about price.

There’s also another way to buy RUNE tokens for those who want to wait and buy the token at a certain price. If an investor believes the price will drop or that the current price is overbought and they are willing to wait, they can execute “Limit Orders”.

These orders guarantee that your purchase will be executed at the exact price you set. For example, if RUNE is priced at $0.80 at the moment, but you want to buy it at $1, you set a limit order for a price of $1. If RUNE drops to that price, your order will be executed and you’ll receive your tokens. But if the price explodes, then your order won’t execute.

Let’s get back to buying RUNE on Binance using the limit order feature. Scroll under the chart until you find the Limit order tab and enter a price you’re willing to pay. Select “Buy RUNE”. You can also sell your THORChain RUNE tokens the same way.

And while buying on a centralized exchange can be a seamless experience, holding your funds on an exchange comes with custodial risks, meaning if something goes wrong with the exchange, you could lose your funds. Because of that, you could consider using a DEX and a non-custodial wallet to buy and store your RUNE tokens.

How to Buy RUNE Using a Decentralized Exchange (DEX)

THORChain RUNE is available for purchase using a DEX. Unlike centralized exchanges like Binance, which are operated by a legal entity, decentralized exchanges are based on smart contracts, where users interact directly with the blockchain.

One such exchange is THORChain’s native THORSwap. However, since THORChain has its own blockchain, you’ll need to do some crypto gymnastics to buy your RUNE tokens via a DEX.

First, you need to have a non-custodial wallet that supports RUNE. We recommend MetaMask, the most popular multi-chain wallet with over 100 million users. Check out our MetaMask review to learn more.

MetaMask is available as a mobile app, but also as a browser extension. Since it’s easier to connect to THORSwap DEX using a web browser, visit the MetaMask website and install it in your browser. Note that MetaMask is a multi-chain wallet, but it natively supports Ethereum and other EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine) blockchains like Arbitrum and Optimism. THORChain support comes via wallet add-ons called Snaps.

Visit MetaMask Snaps page and install the ShapeShift Snap. Approve the connection in your MetaMask wallet. This will enable you to store RUNE tokens in your MetaMask.

You are now ready to buy some RUNE. But first, you need to fund your wallet. MetaMask offers a fiat onramp, meaning you can buy crypto using a card within the wallet. Select “Buy/Sell” in the MetaMask wallet, and another browser tab will open. Connect your wallet and select buy Ethereum (ETH). Enter the amount you want to buy and choose your payment method.

MetaMask supports various payment methods, such as a bank card, Apple Pay or PayPal. However, not all payment methods are available in every country. Choose the method available in your situation and follow the steps to complete the purchase.

Now that you have ETH, visit THORSwap and connect your wallet. Enter the amount of ETH you are willing to spend, and the DEX will automatically calculate the number of RUNE tokens you’ll get. The default slippage is set to 3% on THORSwap, but you can lower it with the slider to 0.5%. Confirm the transaction details and approve the purchase in your MetaMask pop-up. You should now have your RUNE in your non-custodial wallet.

While this may seem complicated, there are many benefits, including no need for identity verification via KYC and complete control over your tokens.

 Always Double-Check Contract Addresses

Whenever you use a decentralized exchange, it’s crucial that you double-check the token address. Scammers often make a copy of a certain token to confuse new investors into buying the wrong token. These tokens have the same name and use the same logo. Luckily, this is hard to do on THORSwap as RUNE is the native token of the THORChain blockchain, but this can be easily done if you use DEXs on blockchains like Ethereum and Solana.

Best Wallets to Store RUNE

There are two types of crypto wallets that differ in key aspects: hot wallets and cold wallets. The main difference is in how they store the assets and the keys associated with them, which are usually formatted as seed phrases.

A seed phrase is a random combination of 12 or 24 words that is generated when you create your wallet account and is unique to each wallet. Since non-custodial wallets store your assets on the blockchain, the only way to gain access to your funds when you reinstall your crypto wallet is to enter your seed phrase.

Hot Wallets

Hot wallets are software solutions in the form of browser extensions or mobile apps that are always connected to the internet (hence “hot”). They enable users to seamlessly access applications for swapping tokens on decentralized exchanges, and can offer advanced features like lending and borrowing.

This makes them a convenient and fast option for anyone transacting frequently. However, being a “hot” wallet means there are risks. If a scammer gains access to your wallet, they can drain it in seconds by transferring your funds to their own wallet. One reason for this is that on a hot wallet, a transaction can typically be confirmed with one click. Another reason is that your seed phrase is usually visible in the settings.

Of course, hot wallets offer various protections to prevent this from happening, including a password or a PIN lock, two-factor authentication, biometrics unlock, and more. Some of the most popular and safest hot wallets are MetaMask, Best Wallet, and Trust Wallet.

Cold Wallets

Cold wallets are hardware devices, either in the form of a USB flash drive or a credit card, that keep your seed phrase encrypted and offline. Whenever you create a new wallet account on a cold wallet device, the random words appear only on the device’s screen and not on your computer or phone. If you store these safely and offline, a scammer who hacks your computer won’t be able to steal your wallet’s seed phrase and access your funds.

Another benefit of using cold wallets is that they require you to physically press a button or scan a QR code to approve a transaction. For example, a scammer hacks into your computer and opens your wallet account. They try to move your funds to their wallets, but nothing happens since they don’t have your cold wallet device to physically approve the transaction. And even if they did, cold wallets are also locked by passwords and other security features that prevent unauthorized access.

So, which is better? A combination of both. To make it easier, hot wallets like MetaMask and Phantom support cold wallets like Ledger. You can connect your Ledger device to your MetaMask wallet, and every time you make a transaction with your MetaMask, the wallet pop-up will ask you to confirm it on your Ledger device. This keeps both your seed phrase and assets protected, while still getting the benefits of using a hot wallet.

Backups and Seed Phrase Safety

Keeping your seed phrase safe is the most important part of crypto investing, as it unlocks access to your wallet. Here’s what you should do to ensure no one can access your wallet:

• Write down your seed phrase on paper or etch it on a metal plate like CryptoTag, and keep it somewhere safe.

• Never take screenshots of your seed phrase or store it in digital form on your computer.

• Never share your seed phrase with anyone. If someone asks for your seed phrase, they are almost certainly trying to scam you.

• Keep a backup of your seed phrase somewhere safe.