This crypto bull market has not been particularly kind to the vast majority of altcoins. Unlike previous bull markets, the focus has been very much on Bitcoin, seemingly with only the merest sniff of an altcoins season, which has so far failed to arrive.

THORChain, a decentralized cross-chain swap protocol, witnessed an unprecedented surge in activity following the Bybit hack. According to DefiLlama, THORChain processed a record $4.66 billion in swaps in the week ending March 2, surpassing $1 billion in a single day.

The Lazarus Group has already laundered all the unfrozen funds it stole from the recent Bybit hack. The group used THORChain's DEX to convert ETH tokens, sparking community criticisms.

The CEO of the recently hacked crypto exchange Bybit says that North Korean hackers have converted 417,348 stolen Ethereum (ETH) into Bitcoin (BTC). According to Bybit CEO Ben Zhou, North Korean state-sponsored hackers stole approximately $1.4 billion in ETH from Bybit, bridging a significant portion of the assets to Bitcoin.

THORChain reportedly generated $5.5M in transaction fees from the surge in activity linked to the laundering of Bybit's stolen funds.

THORChain generated over $5 million in revenue as Bybit's $1.4 billion hacker used the protocol for moving funds, sparking controversy over its role in illicit crypto transfers.

North Korean hackers used THORChain to help launder $1.4 billion in stolen Bybit funds, driving the protocol's weekly volume to a record $4.6 billion.

Bybit CEO Ben Zhou has confirmed that $1.07 billion—roughly 77% of the assets stolen in the exchange's recent $1.4 billion security breach—can still be tracked. In a March 4 update, Zhou disclosed that hackers successfully laundered $280 million, around 20% of the 499,000 ETH stolen.

THORChain was one of the platforms Bybit hackers used to launder funds, according to observers.

RUNE, the native token of the THORChain protocol, remains under significant bearish pressure following a 9.09% price decline in the last week. According to crypto analyst Ali Martinez, RUNE is likely far from a market recovery following a bearish flag pattern on its trading chart.

A developer from THORChain, known as Pluto, has announced his departure from the decentralized liquidity protocol following a contentious decision involving North Korean-linked transactions. The controversy emerged after a vote by the network's validators to block these transactions was swiftly overturned, raising concerns about the platform's governance and resilience to regulatory challenges.

Thorchain is facing operational risks as developers look to quit over disagreements on handling sanctioned funds linked to North Korean hackers.

THORChain developer “Pluto” resigns over failure to block illicit transactions. The FBI urged exchanges and validators to prevent North Korean money laundering.

Thorchain is grappling with developer departures and mounting concerns over its role in laundering stolen crypto, particularly Ethereum from the Bybit hack, tied to North Korean hackers.

THORChain token is flashing a bearish signal, forming a bearish flag pattern that suggests further downside even as swap volume surges. THORChain (RUNE) was trading at $1.3050 on Friday, down 82% from its November peak.

Key Points

Supporters of the decentralized exchange Thorchain have pushed back against claims that the protocol is actively aiding North Korea-backed hackers attempting to cash out funds from the Bybit hack.

THORChain's native token has plummeted 20% in the past 24 hours, wiping off recent gains as the rest of the market also bleeds. The price of THORChain (RUNE) changed hands around $1.20, dipping sharply after hitting highs above $1.60.

According to Arkham, Lazarus-linked wallets have moved over $240 million in ETH through THORChain. They primarily swapped it for Bitcoin (BTC).

THORChain developer Pluto announces his departure after a vote to block North Korean hacker-linked transactions was reverted. A validator is also threatening to exit unless the protocol can stop the flow of hacker funds.

A core developer of THORChain has announced their resignation following the reversal of a vote to block transactions linked to North Korean hackers. The post THORChain Developer Resigns After Vote to Block North Korean Hackers Was Reverted appeared first on Cryptonews.

Thorchain faces a critical moment as key developers leave amid concerns over North Korean hackers using the platform to launder stolen cryptocurrency.

Bybit hackers laundered 270,000 ETH, equivalent to approximately $605 million, via THORChain, representing over half of stolen funds. The post Bybit Hacker Launders 270K ETH Via THORChain, Still Holds $514M appeared first on Cryptonews.

THORChain is facing internal turmoil after a developer resigned over a controversial vote to block transactions linked to North Korean hackers.

A THORChain RUNE developer has stepped away from the project after an attempt to block transactions linked to North Korean hackers was reversed.

A THORChain dev has backed out and a validator is threatening to follow as North Korean hackers have reportedly sent $605 million worth of crypto through the protocol.

Thorchain is experiencing a developer exodus, as hackers from Lazarus Group are using the interoperability-focused blockchain to launder Ethereum (ETH) stolen in the Bybit hack. A Thorchain developer known as TCB announced that Pluto, the protocol's unofficial lead developer, is stepping down.

MetaMask head of security, Taylor Monahan, said Lazarus has moved at least 209,384 ETH, over half the ETH stolen from Bybit, into BTC.

THORChain, a cross-chain swap protocol, witnessed a huge uptick in its activity as the party behind the Bybit heist attempted to launder stolen funds through the platform. The Bybit heist now tagged the largest cryptocurrency heist the world has ever seen, happened on February 21, 2025, and saw the exchange lose about $1.

In January, THORChain paused Bitcoin and Ethereum lending to prevent misuse, as part of a $200 million debt restructuring.

The cross-chain swap protocol has seen a massive surge in activity following the $1.4 billion exploit of the crypto exchange. On Feb. 26, THORChain processed $859 million in swaps, its highest-ever daily volume, according to THORChain Explorer.

Bybit's illicit funds laundering has earned THORChain almost $3 billion in trading volume and $3 million in fee revenue.

THORChain, a decentralized crosschain swap protocol, has witnessed a surge in transaction volume following the $1.4 billion exploit of Bybit. The post Crosschain Swap Protocol THORChain Sees Spike in Activity After Bybit Hack appeared first on Cryptonews.

THORChain's swap volume has hit record highs as the Bybit hack laundering frenzy continues.

The price of RUNE, the native token of THORChain, has climbed 19.7% to hit an intraday high of $1.65 today accompanied by a 29.6% increase in trading volume to $1.268 billion.

THORChain (RUNE) decentralized exchange (DEX) volume has shot up a massive 300% in the past seven days alone.

THORChain (RUNE), a decentralized liquidity protocol, has emerged as a noteworthy player in the cryptocurrency market. Built on the Cosmos SDK and Tendermint protocol, THORChain enables cross-chain swaps, empowering users to exchange tokens across different blockchain networks.

Bybit exchange is on a recovery mode as the hackers behind the exploit have laundered $250 million of the funds.

The crypto market has shown limited favorability to bulls over the past week. However, certain altcoins continue to register gains driven by external developments.

THORChain's node operators approved a plan to convert $200 million in debt into equity tokens, but community members are raising concerns over its long-term viability.

THORChain suspended THORFi services on January 23 and implemented a 90-day restructuring plan to address debt from its Savers and Lending programs.

Thorchain has endorsed a strategy to transform $200 million in debt into equity by issuing a new token, Thorchain Yield (TCY), in a bid to fortify its financial footing. Thorchain Converts $200 Million Debt to Equity in Restructuring Effort On Jan. 23, Thorchain suspended redemptions for its Lending and Savers programs after amassing considerable liabilities.

ThorChain will restructure $200M in toxic debt from ThorFi, paying out creditors with new TCY tokens. Each TCY token will have a nominal value of $1 for each $1 in lost collaterals, but will start trading at $0.10, allowing some creditors to cash out at a loss.

The majority of validators and other governance members voted in favor of converting debt into equity, moving forward with the TCY issuance.

TL;DR THORChain is addressing its $200 million debt by issuing a new token called TCY, converting defaulted debt into equity. TCY token holders will receive 10% of THORChain's revenue in perpetuity, aligning their interests with the protocol's long-term growth.

TCY tokens will be distributed at a rate of 1 TCY per dollar of defaulted debt, turning lenders and savers into equity holders.

Thorchain community passed a proposal to resolve its debt crisis and plans to convert defaulted debt into TCY equity tokens.