Rune (RUNE) Price Prediction

TLDR
RUNE’s price faces mixed pressures from protocol upgrades, regulatory scrutiny, and market dynamics.

1. Network Upgrades – Recent Solana integration (Aug 2025) could boost cross-chain utility.
2. Margin Risks – Binance reduced RUNE’s collateral ratio (June 2025), increasing liquidation risks.
3. Regulatory Sentiment – S&P’s B- rating for DeFi protocols highlights systemic risks.

Deep Dive

1. Cross-Chain Expansion (Bullish Impact)

Overview: THORChain’s integration with Solana (completed August 22, 2025) enables native swaps between SOL and other assets via RUNE, expanding its role in decentralized liquidity. The upgrade follows July’s v3.8.0 release, which improved security and transaction efficiency.

What this means: Increased cross-chain activity could drive demand for RUNE as the settlement asset. Historical precedent (e.g., Ethereum integrations) suggests short-term volatility but long-term utility growth.

2. Exchange Margin Adjustments (Bearish Impact)

Overview: Binance lowered RUNE’s collateral ratio for Portfolio Margin from 70% to 55% on June 29, 2025. This reduces borrowing power for leveraged positions, potentially triggering forced liquidations during price dips.

What this means: Margin traders may offload RUNE faster during downturns to avoid losses, amplifying downside pressure. The 24h trading volume surged 104% post-announcement, signaling heightened volatility risks (Binance).

3. Regulatory & Credit Risks (Mixed Impact)

Overview: S&P’s B- rating for Sky Protocol (August 2025) cited governance centralization and regulatory uncertainty as systemic DeFi risks. While THORChain wasn’t directly rated, the sentiment spillover could deter institutional capital.

What this means: Regulatory scrutiny may slow adoption, but THORChain’s decentralized node network (500+ targeted) and community-driven governance (@JaneDButterfly) counterbalance these concerns by enhancing trustlessness.

Conclusion

RUNE’s price will hinge on balancing cross-chain adoption against macro risks. The Solana integration and node growth (4972.33M circulating supply) provide a bullish foundation, but margin adjustments and regulatory headwinds cap near-term upside.

Watch: Can THORChain sustain >$2M daily volume post-Solana integration while avoiding margin-driven sell-offs?