Deep Dive
1. Solana Integration (February 2026)
Overview: The integration of Solana is a high-priority, near-term milestone. Technical support via EdDSA signatures is already complete (THORChain), with a community announcement targeting a February 2026 rollout (Jatin Kalra). This connects THORChain to Solana's massive retail and memecoin ecosystem, positioning it as the primary liquidity bridge for users wanting to swap SOL gains directly into native Bitcoin.
What this means: This is bullish for RUNE because it directly expands the protocol's addressable market and swap volume potential. New users and capital from one of crypto's most active chains could significantly increase network fees and demand for RUNE as the settlement asset.
2. Expansion to TON, Cardano & Sui (2026)
Overview: Beyond Solana, the core roadmap includes integrating Toncoin (TON), Cardano (ADA), and Sui (SUI) (CoinMarketCap). Work is also underway to add privacy chains Zcash (ZEC) and Monero (XMR). These are medium-term priorities aimed at making THORChain a universal liquidity layer where "any token from any self-custody wallet" can be swapped.
What this means: This is bullish for RUNE as each new chain increases the utility and total value locked (TVL) in the network. However, it's neutral in the short term as delivery timelines depend on development complexity and community governance votes, introducing execution risk.
3. App Layer Evolution with Rujira (Ongoing)
Overview: THORChain is evolving into a full Layer 1 for DeFi applications via its App Layer, primarily developed by the Rujira team. Upcoming products include leveraged perpetuals (Perps), lending, a Bitcoin-backed stablecoin, and an NFT marketplace (THORChain Blog). This transforms THORChain from a swap protocol into a comprehensive DeFi base layer.
What this means: This is bullish for RUNE because smart contracts on the App Layer generate fees, which are split 50/50 between THORChain (and thus RUNE holders) and Rujira. This creates a new, scalable revenue stream tied directly to ecosystem growth.
Conclusion
THORChain's roadmap focuses on aggressive multi-chain expansion followed by deep DeFi integration, aiming to cement its role as foundational cross-chain infrastructure. How will the successful integration of high-volume chains like Solana impact RUNE's deterministic value model?