Protocol Overview
THORChain is a decentralized cross-chain liquidity protocol for native asset swaps without wrapped assets or centralized custody.
Page Source Posture
retrieval details
+9 sources
retrieval details
retrieval details
retrieval details
retrieval details
retrieval details
retrieval details
retrieval details
retrieval details
retrieval details
Architecture, swaps, TSS, Bifrost, Mimir, halts, app layer, and supported chains.
Use This Page For
- Architecture concepts, swap lifecycle, Bifrost, TSS, Mimir, and supported-chain context.
- Dated educational framing for how THORChain components fit together.
Verify Elsewhere Before Claiming
- Current halt, signing, inbound-address, gas-rate, or Mimir state.
- Exact live constants, minimum bond, slash settings, or current chain availability.
Continue From Here
Move from the protocol overview into the right deeper read or live-source check before making an availability, implementation, or developer claim.
Protocol Claim Checks
Start with the claim type. The overview explains how the system fits together; current availability, vault safety, and developer behavior need stronger source paths.
Architecture explanation
- Use For
- Cosmos app-chain, Bifrost observation, vaults, pools, Mimir, and swap lifecycle structure.
- Verify
- Use the New to THORChain path or the relevant deep dive before turning this into implementation detail.
- Do Not Claim
- Do not treat architecture cards as proof that a chain, route, or action is currently available.
Current availability claim
- Use For
- Whether swaps, signing, inbound addresses, LP actions, secured assets, or app-layer controls are open now.
- Verify
- Use Network diagnostics and current source-map guidance before presenting availability as live.
- Do Not Claim
- Do not infer live state from supported-chain listings, old docs, or a missing halt mention.
Security or vault claim
- Use For
- TSS, vault signing, churn, Bifrost observation, slash exposure, and post-exploit migration language.
- Verify
- Use the Network Security path plus dated incident or upgrade reports before describing current safety.
- Do Not Claim
- Do not convert a dated exploit report or migration discussion into present-day safety proof.
Developer integration claim
- Use For
- Memos, asset notation, constants, Mimir keys, inbound-address fields, quote behavior, and API usage.
- Verify
- Use official developer docs and live endpoint evidence before giving transaction or implementation guidance.
- Do Not Claim
- Do not use wiki summaries as send instructions, wallet guidance, or complete API contracts.
Architecture
Cosmos SDK
THORChain runs its own app-chain with Tendermint-style consensus and protocol modules for swaps, pools, vaults, and Mimir.
Map source familiesTSS Vaults
Threshold Signature Schemes distribute vault control across node operators. Current cryptography details should be tied to dated protocol sources.
Read TSS detailsBifrost
Nodes observe external-chain transactions and report them into the THORChain state machine.
Read Bifrost detailsMidgard + THORNode
Midgard serves analytics and history. THORNode is the source for live operational state such as Mimir, constants, and inbound addresses.
Choose the right APICurrent-State Controls
Mimir
Mimir parameters can pause trading, signing, LP actions, churning, TCY claims, RUNEPool, and other protocol behavior. Display these as current-only live data.
Interpret Mimir controlsNetwork Halts
Halts can be chain-specific or global. Interfaces should monitor halt flags before presenting swaps, LP actions, or signing state as available.
Check live haltsInbound Addresses
Routers, gas rates, chain pause flags, and inbound availability are live THORNode facts, not static wiki facts.
Review inbound usageConstants vs Overrides
Constants describe defaults; Mimir can override them. Current minimum bond or slash settings require reading both sources.
Verify override postureSwap Lifecycle
Inbound
Request a fresh quote immediately before submission, then use its inbound address, memo, expiry, dust threshold, and recommended minimum rather than cached transaction inputs.
Check quote timingExecution
The state machine prices the swap through RUNE-paired pools. Under the advanced queue, market swaps can auto-stream; the quote and memo own limits, interval, and quantity while live controls own availability.
Check a live routeOutbound or Refund
Nodes sign the outbound transaction when signing is available; invalid or impossible transactions can refund according to protocol rules.
Read refund conditionsKey Concepts
RUNE Settlement
Every external-asset swap routes through RUNE liquidity, making RUNE the common settlement and bond asset.
Read settlement detailsContinuous Liquidity Pools
Slip-based pricing makes larger trades pay proportionally more, protecting liquidity providers from depth-consuming trades.
Read CLP mechanicsApp Layer and CosmWasm
Permissioned CosmWasm contracts add application behavior; secured assets and trade accounts are separate protocol concepts that need their own live checks.
Read app-layer scopeMinimal Governance
Node operators and Mimir handle operational parameters; ADRs/TIPs document changes. Avoid saying ordinary RUNE holders directly govern every protocol decision.
Check governance framingSupported Chains
This curated list mirrors chains observed in live inbound-address sources at the 2026-07-14 chain-catalog review. Availability, routing, signing, LP actions, and pause state remain live/current-only.
Before Reading The Chain Grid
Treat this as a catalog boundary, not a current availability dashboard. Move to the matching live check before telling a user a chain, action, or route is usable now.
Catalog Listed
- Can Prove
- The chain appears in the curated supported-chain catalog refreshed from inbound-address evidence.
- Does Not Prove
- Swaps, LP actions, signing, gas, outbound availability, or route quoteability right now.
Operational Now
- Can Prove
- Current chain, trading, signing, LP, pool-deposit, and source-warning status at the checked block.
- Does Not Prove
- Future uptime or that every asset pair on the chain can route.
Specific Route
- Can Prove
- Whether THORNode can currently quote the selected from/to asset and amount.
- Does Not Prove
- Wallet support, final execution after quote expiry, or safe recipient/memo handling.
Implementation Use
- Can Prove
- Which endpoint family and source posture should be used for product or dashboard code.
- Does Not Prove
- A complete transaction builder, wallet UX, or production integration contract by itself.
Supported Chain Finder
Showing 12 of 12 catalog chain records from the 2026-07-14 review.
Search by chain, code, asset notation, address format, source/freshness text, or review note. Live dust thresholds and availability belong in current THORNode evidence.
Bitcoin
BTC
- Address Formats
- P2WSH (preferred)P2WPKHP2PKHP2SHP2TR
- Dust Threshold
- Live inbound_addresses only
Catalog Boundary
Listed means this chain was present in the curated inbound-address catalog. It does not prove swaps, signing, LP actions, gas, or a route are open now.
Use the live inbound-address dust threshold and halt fields before constructing or describing a BTC transaction.
retrieval details
+1 source
retrieval details
Ethereum
ETH
- Address Formats
- EIP-55
- Dust Threshold
- Live inbound_addresses only
Catalog Boundary
Listed means this chain was present in the curated inbound-address catalog. It does not prove swaps, signing, LP actions, gas, or a route are open now.
Router/inbound status is live-state dependent.
retrieval details
+1 source
retrieval details
BNB Chain
BSC
- Address Formats
- EIP-55
- Dust Threshold
- Live inbound_addresses only
Catalog Boundary
Listed means this chain was present in the curated inbound-address catalog. It does not prove swaps, signing, LP actions, gas, or a route are open now.
No special review note is attached to this catalog entry.
retrieval details
+1 source
retrieval details
Avalanche
AVAX
- Address Formats
- EIP-55
- Dust Threshold
- Live inbound_addresses only
Catalog Boundary
Listed means this chain was present in the curated inbound-address catalog. It does not prove swaps, signing, LP actions, gas, or a route are open now.
No special review note is attached to this catalog entry.
retrieval details
+1 source
retrieval details
Cosmos Hub
GAIA
- Address Formats
- Bech32 (Secp256k1 or Ed25519)
- Dust Threshold
- Live inbound_addresses only
Catalog Boundary
Listed means this chain was present in the curated inbound-address catalog. It does not prove swaps, signing, LP actions, gas, or a route are open now.
No special review note is attached to this catalog entry.
retrieval details
+1 source
retrieval details
Dogecoin
DOGE
- Address Formats
- Bech32P2PKH
- Dust Threshold
- Live inbound_addresses only
Catalog Boundary
Listed means this chain was present in the curated inbound-address catalog. It does not prove swaps, signing, LP actions, gas, or a route are open now.
No special review note is attached to this catalog entry.
retrieval details
+1 source
retrieval details
Litecoin
LTC
- Address Formats
- Bech32P2PKH
- Dust Threshold
- Live inbound_addresses only
Catalog Boundary
Listed means this chain was present in the curated inbound-address catalog. It does not prove swaps, signing, LP actions, gas, or a route are open now.
MWEB addresses are not supported by the official address-format guide.
retrieval details
+1 source
retrieval details
Bitcoin Cash
BCH
- Address Formats
- CashAddrP2PKH
- Dust Threshold
- Live inbound_addresses only
Catalog Boundary
Listed means this chain was present in the curated inbound-address catalog. It does not prove swaps, signing, LP actions, gas, or a route are open now.
The official guide labels BCH as Bech32; current inbound addresses use CashAddr, which is Bech32-inspired but not BIP-173 Bech32.
retrieval details
+1 source
retrieval details
Tron
TRON
- Address Formats
- Base58
- Dust Threshold
- Live inbound_addresses only
Catalog Boundary
Listed means this chain was present in the curated inbound-address catalog. It does not prove swaps, signing, LP actions, gas, or a route are open now.
No special review note is attached to this catalog entry.
retrieval details
+1 source
retrieval details
Base
BASE
- Address Formats
- EIP-55
- Dust Threshold
- Live inbound_addresses only
Catalog Boundary
Listed means this chain was present in the curated inbound-address catalog. It does not prove swaps, signing, LP actions, gas, or a route are open now.
No special review note is attached to this catalog entry.
retrieval details
+1 source
retrieval details
Solana
SOL
- Address Formats
- Base58
- Dust Threshold
- Live inbound_addresses only
Catalog Boundary
Listed means this chain was present in the curated inbound-address catalog. It does not prove swaps, signing, LP actions, gas, or a route are open now.
Live inbound and chain-client sources include SOL even though the high-level supported-blockchains overview omitted it at review time. SOL uses EdDSA signing; Exploit Report #2 says EdDSA chains such as Solana were not exposed to the GG20/Paillier attack path.
retrieval details
+4 sources
retrieval details
retrieval details
retrieval details
retrieval details
XRP Ledger
XRP
- Address Formats
- Classic Base58
- Dust Threshold
- Live inbound_addresses only
Catalog Boundary
Listed means this chain was present in the curated inbound-address catalog. It does not prove swaps, signing, LP actions, gas, or a route are open now.
Use a destination tag only when the receiving wallet requires it. The official guide lists Classic Base58 and does not list X-address as a supported format.