THORChain Resumes Most Swaps Amid North Korea Laundering Concerns
THORChain has restarted trading on major blockchains after a bug fix, despite warnings about potential North Korean money laundering.
THORChain has restarted trading on major blockchains after a bug fix, despite warnings about potential North Korean money laundering. Bitcoin (BTC) is trading at ₹72,93,797 ($76,911.00), down 0.2% since this brief published. This is an original Token Times brief synthesising 2 outlets (Unchained, Cointelegraph), plus live market data, as of Wed, 04 Nov 2026 02:00:02 UTC.
The restart of THORChain's swaps on major networks like Bitcoin and Ethereum is significant as it restores liquidity for users while raising concerns about the platform's vulnerability to illicit transactions, particularly from state-sponsored actors.
- THORChain resumed Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tron swaps after fixing a refund bug.
- Three blockchain networks remain paused on the platform.
- Analysts warn that North Korea may exploit the platform for money laundering.
Both Unchained and Cointelegraph report that THORChain has restored trading on major blockchains including Bitcoin and Ethereum after addressing a refund bug. However, they differ slightly in the number of chains still paused, with Cointelegraph stating three chains remain inactive while Unchained focuses on the broader implications of the restart amid concerns about North Korean money laundering. Unchained provides more detailed commentary from Pangolin Intelligence's founder, who highlighted the risks of operators knowingly facilitating transactions that could involve North Korean funds.
THORChain has resumed trading on several major blockchain networks, including 
Bitcoin, 
Ethereum, and Tron, after addressing a critical refund bug that had previously halted operations. This development was reported by both Unchained and Cointelegraph, with the former providing additional context from Pangolin Intelligence's founder, Jonty, who discussed the implications of the restart.
According to Jonty, node operators who vote to reactivate THORChain are doing so with the awareness that the platform could be exploited by North Korea for money laundering. This concern arises from the potential for the platform to process billions in stolen funds, as suggested by THORNode data. By November 3, 2023, at 3:50 p.m. ET, Bitcoin, Ether, and Tron swaps were back online.
Cointelegraph corroborates the resumption of trading on major networks but notes that three blockchain networks remain paused. This discrepancy in the number of paused chains highlights the evolving nature of the situation and the complexity of restoring full functionality across all supported networks.
The broader market context shows a relatively flat trading day, with Bitcoin experiencing a minor 0.15% decline over the past 24 hours and a more significant 4.56% drop over the past week. The total crypto market cap stands at $2.65 trillion, with Bitcoin's market cap at $1.55 trillion. 
TRON (TRX) has seen a slight 0.72% increase in the last 24 hours.
The restart of THORChain's swaps is a positive development for users seeking liquidity but raises important questions about the platform's security and its potential to be exploited for illicit activities. As the situation develops, it will be crucial to monitor how THORChain manages these risks and whether additional security measures are implemented.
Since this brief published about 4 hours ago, Bitcoin (BTC) has moved from ₹73,07,643.03$77,057.00 to ₹72,93,797.23$76,911.00 — -0.19%.
The chart plots BTC's price: grey is the move before this brief published, the vertical dashed line marks the moment it published, the horizontal dashed line is the price then, and the coloured area is the move since — from Token Times's market data (daily resolution). It shows what happened after the news, not that the news caused it; many factors move prices. Not financial advice.
At today's peer-to-peer rate, 1 BTC ≈ ₹8.06M (about $76,911.00), down 0.1% over 24 hours. The rupee itself trades about 10.5% above the official rate on the P2P market, so a Indian buyer's effective cost differs from the headline dollar price.
Live market data
Current prices for the assets in this story — live, source-stamped, updated every 15 minutes.
THORChain Resumes Most Swaps Amid North Korea Laundering Con — questions & answers
Why did THORChain halt trading initially?
THORChain halted trading due to a critical refund bug that required resolution before operations could resume.
Which blockchain networks are still paused on THORChain?
Three blockchain networks remain paused, according to Cointelegraph, though specific details on which ones are not provided.
What are the concerns about North Korea's involvement?
Analysts warn that North Korea could exploit THORChain to launder billions in stolen funds, posing a significant risk to the platform's integrity.
How much is 1 Bitcoin worth in rupee today?
About ₹8.06M at the live peer-to-peer (P2P) USDT rate, which is what Indians typically trade at — equivalent to roughly $76,911.00. The rupee price moves with both BTC's US-dollar price and the USDT/INR rate; use our Bitcoin in rupee page for any amount.
Has Bitcoin's price moved since this brief was published?
BTC is down 0.19% since this brief first published — trading at ₹72,93,797 ($76,911.00) now versus ₹73,07,643 ($77,057.00) at publication. Token Times re-checks this figure against CoinGecko and Binance every 15 minutes.
Which outlets reported this story?
This is an original Token Times brief that synthesises reporting from Unchained, Cointelegraph, with the key figures cross-checked for agreement across them. It is not a copy of any one article — follow the source links above for the original reporting.
Original summary — not financial advice. This is an original Token Times brief that summarises a development reported elsewhere and adds live market data for context; it is not the original article and reproduces no part of it. Follow the source link above for full details. Crypto is volatile and high-risk — always do your own research.