THORChain Advances BTC-to-XMR Swaps, Bringing Private Trading Closer

THORChain is accelerating native Monero (XMR) support, bringing permissionless BTC→XMR non‑custodial swaps closer to launch. The integration avoids wrapped tokens, uses native liquidity pools and professional connectors, and could boost on‑chain private‑asset flows and fees for liquidity providers. Market reaction has lifted XMR (~$389) about 9% over the past week; THORChain’s RUNE shows bullish technicals (RSI ~67.95) and the protocol’s daily swap volume tops $344 million. While the move may broaden access to privacy coins and increase trading activity, it also raises the prospect of heightened regulatory scrutiny because of Monero’s privacy features.