Should You Buy THORChain in 2025?

Why trust HelloSafe?

At HelloSafe, our expert has been monitoring the evolution of the THORChain cryptocurrency for over three years. Every month, tens of thousands of users in New Zealand trust us to analyse market trends and identify the best investment opportunities. Our analyses are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute investment advice. In line with our ethical charter, HelloSafe has never purchased THORChain nor received any compensation from entities associated with its ecosystem.

THORChain in brief

*NZD/USD conversion not precisely adjusted due to fluctuations; for indicative purposes only.

How much does 1 THORChain cost?

The price of THORChain is up this week. RUNE is currently trading at approximately NZ$2.65, with a 24-hour gain of about 2.7% and a weekly increase close to 1.6%. Its market capitalisation stands at NZ$924 million, with an average 3-month daily trading volume around NZ$219 million, ranking it 87th among cryptocurrencies by market value. There are 351.44 million RUNE in circulation, giving THORChain a market dominance near 0.09%. With ongoing volatility but increasing cross-chain activity, RUNE may appeal to Kiwi investors open to dynamic opportunities in the digital asset space.

Our complete review of the THORChain cryptocurrency

Have the latest THORChain trends signalled a long-awaited inflection point in the cross-chain DeFi arena? Our in-depth study of the past three years—combining on-chain analytics, technical signals, evolving market data and the competitive landscape via proprietary algorithms—uncovers new perspectives on RUNE’s trajectory. So, why might THORChain be re-emerging in 2025 as a strategically attractive entry point for next-generation decentralised financial infrastructure?

Recent Performance and Market Context

Price Evolution

After peaking at $21.26 in May 2021, THORChain (RUNE) underwent a sustained correction, now trading at $1.62 as of June 2025—an approximate 92% retracement from all-time highs. This multi-year consolidation has purged excessive speculation, returning valuations closer to fundamental levels seen during the protocol’s early scaling phase. Over the past twelve months, RUNE has declined by roughly 71–73%, and by 77% over the previous six months. However, recent trading sessions show resilience: the last week has delivered modest gains (+0.8% to +2.20%), and 53% of the last 30 days have “closed green”, signalling a stabilising demand base.

Positive Recent Events

• Network upgrade V3.6.0 (May 22, 2025): Native smart contracts and algorithmic enhancements, expanding THORChain’s real-world use cases.
• Base Chain and XRP integration: Deepening interoperability, unlocking new cross-chain liquidity streams.
• Fee structure optimisation: Dramatically lowered end-user costs, driving a marked increase in both large and retail transaction flow (Q1 2025: $5.9B processed, $5.5M in protocol fees).
• Ledger Live support: Bolstering security and enhancing user onboarding.

Macro and Sector Backdrop

DeFi’s structural trend toward cross-chain liquidity, combined with New Zealand’s progressive stance on digital assets, establishes a favourable macro backdrop. The global crypto market is rebounding from a risk-off cycle, with the Fear & Greed Index stabilising at 52 (neutral), and institutional engagement entering a new expansion phase. In this environment, protocols with proven execution—such as THORChain—tend to attract disproportionate deployment of capital.

Technical Analysis

Key On-chain and Technical Indicators

• Relative Strength Index (RSI 14-day): Oscillating between 23.9 (deeply oversold) and 43.6 (neutral); these territories historically precede mid-term reversals.
• MACD: Momentum shifting positive, with ascending histogram values and potential signal-line cross.
• Moving Averages: Despite a “death cross” (50-day SMA at $1.30–$1.59 well below 200-day SMA at $2.59–$2.60), sideways price action above $1.53 and multiple “green” days suggest a forming base.
• Support & Resistance: Strong technical base at $1.27 and $1.53, with $1.66 and $6.85 as upward targets; price consolidation in this range may precede a pronounced breakout following essential network integrations.

Market Momentum

• Trading Volume: Sustained daily volumes ($122.45M–$140.83M) maintain a robust 21.5% volume-to-market-cap ratio—well above sector average, implying active positioning and confidence from larger market players.
• Volatility: With realised 30-day volatility under 10%, current price regime offers both tactical swing trading and core accumulation opportunities, especially for investors targeting a mean reversion phase after prolonged downside.

Fundamental Analysis

Structural Strengths and Adoption

• Innovation leader: First-mover advantage as the only decentralised protocol enabling native, trustless swaps across nine major blockchains—without wrapped tokens or central intermediaries. RUNE’s deterministic swap model and slip-based fees uniquely address pain points of cross-chain DeFi.
• Recent Upgrades: V3.6.0’s programmable logic unlocks an entirely new field—on-chain automation and composability—for THORChain-savvy builders and integrators.
• TVL Dynamics: $146.5M–$168.7M total value locked; a market cap/TVL ratio of 3.4–3.9 shows the protocol is neither overheated nor overly discounted relative to DeFi industry norms.
• Ecosystem Network Effects: Base Chain and XRP integrations are early signals of a broader institutional unlock, as more chains and liquidity venues are on-boarded, amplifying the protocol’s utility and stickiness.

Community and Governance

• Decentralised operational model: No corporate issuer or CEO. Governance is anchored by a robust validator and developer base, coordinated through the Nine Realms group and a vibrant open-source community.
• Tokenomics: 100% of RUNE supply has been vested/unlocked since July 2023. The continued adjustment of reward incentives (eg, block reward removal) focuses directly on real user demand for cross-chain liquidity rather than speculative staking.

Valuation and Market Positioning

• Market cap ($570M) vs. DeFi peers: Although far from its previous highs, THORChain sits among the most capitalised decentralised liquidity protocols, attesting to sustained investor and builder conviction.
• Liquidity & Exchange Access: High trading volume and deep liquidity pools on both centralised (Binance, KuCoin, MEXC) and decentralised (THORSwap) venues, with RUNE trading pairs spanning USDT, USDC, BTC, and ETH.
• Fully Diluted Valuation ($810M): Reflects a conservative upside if current product velocity and adoption are maintained, considering over 20,000% price appreciation from all-time lows.

Volume and Liquid Market Traction

Volume Metrics: 24h trading volumes north of $122M are a clear indicator of active market participation, supporting ease of entry/exit and mitigating slippage risk—critical for both institutional and high-net-worth participation.

Competitive Dynamics

Differentiation versus peers: By focusing on native asset settlement (not using wrapped assets), THORChain meets composability and security standards expected by institutional users, distinguishing itself from competitors relying on synthetic bridges or federated models prone to single points of failure.

Catalysts and Positive Outlook

Protocol Updates and Integrations

• Upcoming Layer 1 support: Roadmap signals imminent integration of additional blockchains, reinforcing “network effects” and incentivising fresh capital inflows.
• DeFi and NFT synergies: Streaming swaps, developer suite enhancements, and on-chain savers’ products offer new revenue and adoption vectors.
• Institutional adoption: Growing whitelisting among digital asset custodians and OTC venues signals progressive mainstreaming.

Regulatory & Sectoral Environment

• Global compliance trends: While increased regulatory scrutiny exists (primarily focused on privacy and AML requirements), the New Zealand regulatory landscape is largely accommodative, supporting responsible experimentation and local deployment of cross-chain finance systems.
• Real-world use cases: THORChain’s native swaps provide critical underlying infrastructure for next-generation DeFi aggregators, digital asset treasuries and forex rails for blockchain-native settlements.

Investment Strategies by Horizon

Short-term (2025-2026)

• Technical entry points: Oversold RSI and stabilised volume profile create favourable risk/reward for tactical accumulation, particularly on retests of the $1.27–$1.53 support band.
• Catalyst trading: Entry positioned ahead of major roadmap integrations (e.g., new chain support, NFT or DeFi functionalities) positions portfolios to benefit from near-term volatility spikes catalysed by product launches and partner announcements.

Medium-term (2026-2028)

• Mean reversion thesis: With TVL stabilising and protocol revenue growing, a return to industry average Market Cap/TVL ratios and prior resistance zones ($2.53–$8.75) appears well anchored.
• Ecosystem growth: Strategic positioning for growth in institutional adoption and integrations with EVM-based and Layer 1 blockchains increases asymmetric upside potential.

Longer-term (2028-2030)

• DeFi infrastructure compounding: THORChain’s unique cross-chain architecture and validator-backed security model set the foundation for persistent value capture, especially if DeFi as a sector continues to cannibalise traditional interbank and exchange rails.
• Dynamic risk management: As protocol governance matures and regulatory frameworks stabilise, exposure to THORChain could serve as a core allocation for sophisticated investors seeking sectoral beta with embedded yield and protocol fee sharing from a growing cross-chain volume base.

Price Predictions for THORChain (2025–2030)

Is Now the Right Time to Consider THORChain?

Key Strengths and Opportunity Set

• Persistent oversold technicals and robust fundamental strengths align, highlighting a compelling risk-adjusted profile at current valuations near historical support zones.
• Network upgrades, rapidly expanding cross-chain integrations, and fresh fee revenue innovations reinforce THORChain’s position as critical DeFi infrastructure for the years ahead.
• High volume/liquidity, institutional on-ramps, and composable new functionalities point to renewed ecosystem momentum, with network effects now tilting in favour of early entrants.
• Attractive relative valuation: With a stabilised TVL and conservative market cap, THORChain appears underpriced versus both its technological footprint and sector peers.
• Decentralised governance and upgraded tokenomics focus value accrual on tangible utility (cross-chain liquidity and security bonding), rather than speculative emissions.
• Resilient community: Strong developer ecosystem and transparent, decentralised governance mitigate key operational and headline risks.

Forward-looking and Conviction

Against a backdrop of rising institutional adoption, ambitious product integration and increasing demand for seamless cross-chain assets, THORChain’s fundamentals justify renewed attention. For investors seeking dynamic exposure to the next generation of decentralised financial infrastructure, THORChain could well be on the cusp of a multi-year growth cycle. The technical and fundamental set-up suggests THORChain is positioned to enter a fresh bullish stage—potentially transforming current levels into a valuable strategic entry for portfolios focused on innovation-driven crypto assets.

How to buy THORChain?

It’s straightforward and secure to buy THORChain (RUNE) online through a regulated platform in New Zealand. There are two main methods: spot purchase, where you directly buy and own real RUNE coins in your wallet, and trading via crypto CFDs (Contracts for Difference), which lets you speculate on price movements without holding the coin. Each method suits different investing goals and experience levels. To find the best fit for you, take a look at the platform comparison further down this page.

Spot Purchase

Spot purchase of THORChain means you are buying the actual RUNE tokens, which will be safely stored in your exchange wallet or a personal crypto wallet. With spot buying, you become the direct owner of the asset. Most New Zealand platforms charge a flat commission per transaction, usually between NZ$4–NZ$10 depending on the exchange.

Example

Suppose THORChain (RUNE) is priced at US$1.62, which equals about NZ$2.65 (exchange rates may vary). With a NZ$1,750 investment (approx. €1,000 equivalent), you can buy around 660 RUNE coins after accounting for a typical NZ$8 fee.

- Profit Scenario:
If the price rises by 10%, your portfolio would now be worth NZ$1,925—an NZ$175 gain, or +10%, before fees.

Trading via CFD

Trading THORChain using a crypto CFD lets you take a position on price changes without owning any actual RUNE coins. This approach is popular for active or short-term traders, and it allows the use of leverage. Main costs include the spread (the difference between buying and selling price) and, if you keep your position overnight, a daily financing fee.

Example

You open a CFD position on THORChain with NZ$1,750 and 5x leverage, giving you NZ$8,750 market exposure.

- Profit Scenario:
If RUNE increases by 8%, your position gains 8% × 5 = 40%. You make NZ$700 profit on your NZ$1,750 stake (excluding fees).

Final Tips

Always compare platform fees, security measures, and terms before investing, as they can make a real difference to your gains. Whether you choose spot purchase for long-term holding or CFD trading for short-term speculation depends on your risk appetite and investment experience. Consult the detailed platform comparison lower down the page to help you decide confidently.

Our 7 tips for buying THORChain

The latest news from THORChain

THORChain’s V3.6.0 upgrade has significantly improved network functionality and cross-chain capabilities in the past week. On May 22, 2025, THORChain completed an important technical upgrade (V3.6.0), introducing the ability to use programmable smart contracts and greater network automation. This milestone makes the protocol far more attractive for developers and advanced DeFi users, strengthening its position as a leading decentralized cross-chain liquidity solution. The addition of new blockchain integrations and near-completed XRP support allows for broader, seamless asset swaps—features well suited to New Zealand-based users seeking non-custodial access to global digital assets. With enhanced support for major blockchains and faster, more cost-effective swaps, THORChain becomes more relevant within the local ecosystem that, due to regulatory caution, often favors non-custodial infrastructure for compliance and security.

Recent technical analysis indicates THORChain (RUNE) is significantly oversold, suggesting potential for a price rebound. Current indicators show RUNE’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) in the 23.9–43.6 range, flagging it as oversold to neutral, while the MACD signals are now turning bullish. Despite a prolonged downtrend and a “death cross” pattern in moving averages, momentum has shifted positively over the past week, with RUNE up around 2% and 16 green trading days out of the last 30. For New Zealand investors, where local exchange options are limited and international access must be strategic, these technical signals point to a constructive entry window, especially for those employing a medium- to long-term strategy optimized for risk-adjusted returns.

Recent network data show strong usage and robust revenue despite unfavorable price action, underlining protocol resilience. For Q1 2025, THORChain processed $5.9 billion USD in transactions and earned $5.5 million in network fees during periods of high demand. These results, alongside ongoing fee reductions and feature enhancements, highlight sustained user engagement and growing DeFi transaction flows. New Zealand users—who increasingly participate in decentralized applications due to regional banking limitations with offshore exchanges—stand to benefit from this high liquidity and the protocol’s proven resilience, particularly since all RUNE tokens are now fully unlocked, reducing dilution risk.

Institutional integration and security upgrades, including Ledger Live support, are boosting credibility and accessibility for compliant New Zealand participants. Over the past week, THORChain has nearly finalized integration with Ledger Live, a globally recognized hardware wallet, enhancing self-custody and security for users. Coupled with ongoing adoption by institutional-grade platforms and continuous regulatory dialogue, these developments offer reassurance to New Zealand-based investors and traders, who operate in one of the strictest AML/CFT environments worldwide. The improved ability to self-custody and manage digital assets directly from hardware wallets means increased compliance and lower counterparty risks for local market participants.

Analyst consensus has moved to ‘moderate buy’ as cross-chain innovation, technical resilience, and adoption momentum outweigh short-term volatility. Market sentiment is currently neutral but trending positive, with a “moderate buy” designation from recent analyst reviews. Short-term price targets suggest 18–44% upside, and network upgrades have positioned THORChain for renewed growth. In the context of New Zealand’s rapidly professionalizing crypto sector—where both institutional and sophisticated retail actors are seeking diversified, globally compliant DeFi exposure—THORChain’s pioneering cross-chain functionality and proven, transparent governance model set it apart as a strong prospect for capital allocation, provided position sizes are managed prudently to account for ongoing regulatory and market risks.

FAQ

P. Laurore

Finance expert

Co-founder of HelloSafe and holder of a Master's degree in finance, Pauline has recognised expertise in personal finance, which she uses to help users better understand and optimise their financial choices. At HelloSafe, Pauline plays a key role in designing clear, educational content on savings, investments and personal finance. Passionate about financial education, Pauline strives, with every piece of content she oversees, to provide reliable, transparent and unbiased information for independent and informed financial management. To this end, she has tested over 100 trading platforms to help internet users make the right choices.