THORChain announced that cross-chain swaps are active again on 11 blockchains, following its rollout of node upgrade 3.21.1. The decentralized liquidity protocol reported that trading for RUNE, its native asset, has also resumed. However, swaps on Solana, BNB Chain, and Cosmos remain suspended as eight active nodes have yet to update to the new version.
Major blockchains return, with exceptions
With the 3.21.1 node update, trading is now possible for AVAX, BASE, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Dogecoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, RUNE, Tron, XRP Ledger, and Zcash. Outbound signing has been re-enabled on all 10 external chains that were reopened, allowing swaps to proceed as usual. In contrast, swaps on Solana, BNB Chain, and Cosmos are still not possible until those networks receive further updates and node operators finish upgrading.
According to public node data, 103 out of 111 active THORChain nodes were running the latest version as of 10:12 UTC, while eight nodes had yet to switch from the previous update. THORChain emphasized that all nodes must upgrade to resolve ongoing performance issues with cross-chain swaps.
THORChain stated that “3.21.1 gets THORChain one step closer to launching Monero,” referencing upcoming support for the privacy-focused cryptocurrency as part of the protocol’s longer-term roadmap.
The protocol operates as a cross-chain decentralized exchange (DEX) designed to facilitate swaps between native assets across multiple blockchains without bridging or wrapping tokens.
Mini dictionary: Bifrost is a middleware component of THORChain that monitors and signs transactions on supported external blockchains, enabling cross-chain communication and settlement.
THORChain announced that version 3.21.1 is delivered as a private Bifrost-only binary with extra security patches. Operators are instructed not to build from source code, and there is no predetermined upgrade height—each operator must update manually.
Technical changes and future features
The latest release does not change network consensus but includes several technical fixes. These include resolving XRPL timeouts, optimizing group queries for Tron blocks, and updating how Ethereum receipts are processed. Additional changes include setting a minimum relay fee for Bitcoin and removing the GAIA IBC deposit monitor.
Another update connects Bifrost’s solvency signal to the network’s halt state, enhancing system safety during irregular events. THORChain developers said these combined changes pave the way for Monero integration after the update.
Service disruptions, security incident, and FBI request
On October 31, an incident occurred when THORChain refunded a user 10 ETH after a transaction was dropped from Ethereum’s chain history during a block reorganization. The protocol’s automated solvency checker detected the shortfall and halted swaps on 10 of THORChain’s 13 supported blockchains as a safeguard.
By November 3, swaps for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tron were gradually reinstated. The user who received the 10 ETH reportedly returned the funds to the protocol’s vault.
Historical node data suggests that Cosmos and Solana trading was limited even before this latest disruption. Solana swaps had been suspended for technical reasons awaiting a suitable software update.
| Blockchain | Status after 3.21.1 |
|---|---|
| AVAX, BASE, BCH, BTC, DOGE, ETH, LTC, RUNE, TRON, XRPL, ZEC | Swaps active |
| Solana, BNB Chain (BSC), Cosmos (ATOM) | Swaps halted |
The swap suspension coincided with a request from the FBI, which called on THORChain node operators and DeFi platforms to block wallets linked to the $6.3 billion Binance hack on October 29. The sanctioned addresses were blocked at the user interface level on the official site, but technical co-founder Chad Barraford noted that independent node operators could still facilitate trades independently of central controls.
The update notes specify that “this release will use a private binary including additional security patches,” urging node operators to install the new version manually for continued operation and optimal security.
