THORChain has released version 3.20 of its protocol, introducing native support for Monero and Zcash swaps. The update allows users to exchange the privacy-focused assets directly for Bitcoin, Ethereum and stablecoins through the network’s existing cross-chain infrastructure.

Until this release, converting Monero or Zcash into broader market assets typically required centralized exchanges, custodial services or intermediary steps. Version 3.20 removes those requirements by supporting the native assets themselves. No wrapped versions of XMR or ZEC are needed, and users do not create accounts or transfer control of their holdings to any third party.

Direct Access for Privacy Coins

The integration is especially relevant for Monero. Centralized platforms have increasingly restricted or removed XMR trading in response to regulatory and compliance pressures. Holders could still transact on the Monero network but faced limited decentralized options when moving into Bitcoin, Ethereum or dollar-denominated stablecoins.

THORChain 3.20 offers an alternative path. Users can swap native XMR or ZEC while retaining self-custody, extending the same model the protocol already applies to assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. The addition brings privacy-oriented networks into a system designed to connect otherwise separate blockchains without bridges or wrapped representations.

Broader Protocol Changes

Monero and Zcash form the most visible part of the release, yet version 3.20 also updates core liquidity mechanisms. The protocol now includes Protocol-Owned Liquidity, giving THORChain tools to deploy its own capital across the network rather than depending solely on external providers.

A new Stable Reserve supports stablecoin-to-stablecoin swaps that carry no liquidity fees. The upgrade further restores and expands network coverage with renewed support for Solana, Base and BNB, placing these chains alongside the protocol’s existing cross-chain capabilities.

Taken together, the changes position THORChain as a wider liquidity layer for native assets. The protocol has long focused on enabling self-custodial exchanges across disconnected blockchains. Adding two of the most established privacy coins extends that approach into a segment of the market where decentralized trading options have remained comparatively scarce.

Users can access the swaps through the protocol’s interface, maintaining full control of their assets throughout the process. The release marks one of the more substantial upgrades in THORChain’s development to date.