RUNE crypto surged 56% in a week as THORChain rebounds from Q1 2025 challenges. The TCY token launch, v3.5.0 upgrade, and reduced fees drive this comeback, with trading volume hitting $100 billion.

It has been a turbulent year for RUNE crypto and THORChain. From bankruptcy concerns that saw RUNEUSDT crash in Q1 2025 to claims of enabling the laundering of stolen Bybit funds, developers had to deliver something extraordinary to shift sentiment and repair the damage.

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RUNE Surges 56% in One Week

THORChain is on the right path, at least from a price perspective. RUNE is among the top performers, adding an impressive 56% in the past week. While more work is needed for the project to break into the top 100, progress is evident, making RUNE crypto one of the best cryptos to consider in May 2025.

Technically, the uptrend remains. After months of consolidation from early February, the coin broke higher this month. The zone between $1.50 and $1.60 is reliable support. If bulls prevent bears from pushing lower, prices could surge in the coming weeks, reaching $3 and $5. In this way, RUNE crypto would easily outperform even some of the best Solana meme coins.

RUNE crypto surged 56% in a week as THORChain rebounds from Q1 2025 challenges. Here's three possible reasons why the coin is rallying

(RUNEUSDT)

TCY Token Launch

The current rally is driven by strategic developments paying off. Notably, after the turbulence of Q1 2025, the team launched a new token, TCY, as an alternative to diluting RUNE’s circulating supply following bankruptcy risk.

TCY addresses the fallout from the default of the THORFi lending and savers program. Like other decentralized money markets, such as Aave, THORFi allowed users to lend and earn yields on assets. However, excessive debt and leverage strained the protocol, leading to a temporary insolvency declaration and pause in Q1 2025.

Launched on May 5, TCY is claimable by THORFi participants and offers stakers indefinite access to 10% of THORChain’s fees. Since the launch, RUNE prices have strengthened, and trading volume on THORChain is swelling.

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Developers Activate v3.5.0 and THORChain Nodes Lower Swapping Fees

On May 1, THORChain activated v3.5.0, introducing technical enhancements, including a complete refactor of Bifrost, the cross-chain bridge. Developers also improved the DEX’s transaction security while concurrently boosting reliability and scalability, which were critical for the TCY launch.

On May 6, THORChain nodes voted to reduce protocol fees from 16 to 10 basis points, making swaps cheaper and more attractive.

Plans to integrate additional chains, including Tron, TON, and the XRP Ledger, will attract more traders.

Presently, a THORChain report shows that Bitcoin and Ethereum-related trades account for over 80% of trading volume over the last year. Adding more top altcoins could introduce more choices, driving volume even higher.

RUNE crypto surged 56% in a week as THORChain rebounds from Q1 2025 challenges. Here's three possible reasons why the coin is rallying

(Source)

As the multi-chain DEX rebuilds and moves past Q1 2025 controversies, it has surpassed several milestones.

On May 12, the protocol exceeded $100 billion in total trading volume, showing that THORChain remains a go-to decentralized liquidity hub for swappers.

RUNE crypto surged 56% in a week as THORChain rebounds from Q1 2025 challenges. Here's three possible reasons why the coin is rallying

(Source)

There are over 750,000 unique wallets, and the protocol, on average, onboards over 18,000 new wallets every month.

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THORChain RUNE Crypto Soars 56%: Here's Why

  • RUNE crypto rallies 56% in one week. With technical support at $1.50–$1.60, the coin can breach $5 
  • TCY is driving RUNE demand. The token addresses THORFi’s insolvency, offering stakers 10% of network fees 
  • THORChain developers release v3.50.0 to boost security, reliability, and scalability 
  • Nodes vote to lower swapping fees from 16 to 10 basis points. Will THORChain attract more users? 

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Dalmas Ngetich
Dalmas Ngetich
Crypto Journalist

Dalmas is an experienced journalist with over a decade in crypto, technology, and blockchain. His work and that of his partners have been featured in top news outlets, including Forbes, investing.com, and Entrepreneur, among others. He is passionate about crypto... Read More

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