Native cross-chain swaps powered by decentralized liquidity

Overview

THORChain is a decentralized liquidity protocol that enables native cross-chain swaps across multiple blockchains without wrapping assets or using bridges.

Through SwapKit, wallets, custodians, and aggregators can integrate THORChain swaps seamlessly — while also benefiting from redundancy and a unified SDK that supports other cross-chain protocols.

Supported Chains

THORChain facilitates native asset settlement between:

• • Bitcoin (BTC) – Including Taproot address support

• • Ethereum (ETH) – Plus ERC-20 tokens

• • BNB Chain – Native BNB and BEP-2 assets

• • Avalanche (AVAX) – C-Chain assets

• • Cosmos Hub (ATOM) – Plus IBC-enabled assets

• • Dogecoin (DOGE) – Native support

• • Bitcoin Cash (BCH) – Direct swaps

• • Litecoin (LTC) – Native integration

• • Base – Coinbase’s L2 network

• • Ripple (XRP) – Native XRP support

• • TRON (TRX) – Including TRC-20 tokens

Protocol Fees

THORChain uses a dynamic fee structure with multiple components:

Liquidity Fees

• • Range: 5-50 basis points (0.05% – 0.50%)

• • Dynamic scaling: Adjusts based on pool depth, slip-based fees, and market conditions

• • Purpose: Compensates liquidity providers and maintains economic security

Outbound Fees

• • Network fees: Covers gas costs on destination chains

• • Dynamic multiplier: Adjusts based on network congestion

• • Chain-specific: Varies by blockchain (Bitcoin fees ≠ Ethereum fees)

Additional Fees

• • Affiliate fees: Optional revenue sharing for integrators

• • Streaming swap optimization: Reduces slippage on large trades

Fee Structure: THORChain charges 5-50 basis points in liquidity fees plus outbound network fees, with rates adjusting dynamically based on pool conditions

Example: BTC → ETH Swap via SwapKit

import { SwapKitApi } from "@swapkit/api";

// Get THORChain quote
const quotes = await SwapKitApi.getQuote({
  sellAsset: "BTC.BTC",
  buyAsset: "ETH.ETH",
  sellAmount: "1000000", // 0.01 BTC in satoshis
  providers: ["THORCHAIN"]
});

const thorchainQuote = quotes[0];
console.log({
  expectedOutput: thorchainQuote.expectedOutput,
  liquidityFee: thorchainQuote.fees.liquidity,
  outboundFee: thorchainQuote.fees.outbound,
  totalFees: thorchainQuote.fees.total,
  estimatedTime: thorchainQuote.timeEstimate
});

// Execute the swap
const result = await SwapKitApi.executeSwap({
  route: thorchainQuote,
  userAddress: "your-btc-address"
});

Benefits of Using THORChain via SwapKit

• True Decentralization
  • Over-collateralized validator security model ensures your assets are protected by economic incentives, not trusted parties.
• Native Bitcoin Support
  • Swap real BTC directly into ETH, stablecoins, or other assets without wrapping or bridges.
• Deep Liquidity
  • THORChain processed almost $14 billion in swap volume, providing substantial liquidity depth for major pairs.
• Unified Integration
  • Same API structure as Maya Protocol, Chainflip, and NEAR Intents through SwapKit’s consistent interface.
• Automatic Redundancy
  • If THORChain is congested or unavailable, SwapKit automatically routes through alternative providers.
• Destination Gas Abstraction
  • Users only need gas on the source chain – THORChain handles destination network fees.

Recent THORChain Updates

• Taproot Support
  • THORChain added support for Bitcoin Taproot addresses, enabling more efficient and private Bitcoin transactions.
• Enhanced Fee Structure
  • Updated minimum liquidity fees provide more predictable pricing and increased system income for nodes and liquidity providers.
• RUNEPool Integration
  • New dual liquidity primitive offering additional yield opportunities for RUNE holders.

THORChain vs Other Protocols

Feature	THORChain	Maya Protocol	Chainflip	NEAR Intents
Liquidity Fee	5-50bps	10-20bps	1-10bps	1bps
Bitcoin Support	Native + Taproot	Native	Native	Native
Decentralization	Fully decentralized	Fully decentralized	Validator-based	Intent-based
Liquidity Depth	Very High	Medium	Growing	Variable
Chain Coverage	11 chains	6 chains	4 chains	15+ chains

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why choose THORChain over other cross-chain protocols?

THORChain pioneered decentralized cross-chain swaps and offers the deepest BTC liquidity in DeFi, with proven security and reliability.

Q: How do THORChain fees compare to centralized exchanges?

While higher than CEX fees, THORChain provides non-custodial, permissionless access with no KYC requirements and true asset ownership.

Q: Does SwapKit add markup to THORChain fees?

No. SwapKit passes through THORChain’s native fee structure transparently with no additional markup.

Q: What happens if THORChain nodes go offline?

SwapKit automatically detects network issues and can route through Maya Protocol, Chainflip, or NEAR Intents as fallback options.

Q: Can I use THORChain for large trades?

Yes. THORChain offers streaming swaps that split large trades across multiple blocks to minimize slippage.

Integration Resources

• • SwapKit Documentation – Complete integration guide

• • THORChain Developer Docs – Protocol-specific documentation

• • SwapKit GitHub – Open source SDK and examples

• • THORChain Explorer – Network statistics and monitoring

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Ready to integrate THORChain swaps? Get started with SwapKit.