Aave vs THORChain
Aave (AAVE) and THORChain (RUNE) both sit in the defi category, so they compete for the same slot in a portfolio. Aave launched in 2017, 2 years before THORChain. Aave uses — (token on Ethereum) and THORChain uses Tendermint BFT. This page compares what can actually be verified about each protocol — nobody can tell you which will be worth more, and this page does not try to.
Cryptocurrencies are a highly volatile asset class without the protections of regulated funds: you can lose your entire investment. This comparison is educational content about the technical characteristics of two protocols, not a buy recommendation or a price forecast.
Head to head
Verifiable data for each protocol. Price and performance are deliberately left out: they change daily and cannot be derived from technical specs.
| Aave | THORChain | |
|---|---|---|
| Symbol | AAVE | RUNE |
| Launched | 2017 | 2019 |
| Consensus | — (token on Ethereum) | Tendermint BFT |
| Max supply | 16M | 500M |
| Category | DeFi | DeFi |
This table does not say which one is "better". It says how they differ, which is the only thing that can be stated without guessing.
Aave
AAVEThe largest DeFi lending protocol: deposit crypto to earn interest or borrow against collateral.
THORChain
RUNEA network for swapping crypto across different chains without wrapping them or using a custodian. RUNE is the asset backing every pool.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Aave and THORChain?+
Aave (AAVE) launched in 2017, uses — (token on Ethereum) and has a maximum supply of 16M. THORChain (RUNE) launched in 2019, uses Tendermint BFT and has a maximum supply of 500M. Beyond the numbers, they were built for different purposes — see the description of each below.
Which one will be worth more?+
Nobody knows, and anyone telling you otherwise is guessing. Crypto prices depend on adoption, regulation, liquidity and sentiment, none of which can be forecast from a protocol's specs. This page deliberately compares only what is verifiable today.
Which has the scarcer supply?+
Both have a hard cap: 16M for Aave and 500M for THORChain. A cap limits future issuance, but it says nothing about demand — and demand is what sets the price.
Do they use the same technology?+
No: Aave uses — (token on Ethereum) and THORChain uses Tendermint BFT. The consensus mechanism affects energy use, how the network is secured and how new coins enter circulation.
Should I hold both?+
That is a question about your risk tolerance, not about these two protocols. Crypto is a volatile asset class where you can lose your entire investment, and holding two coins in the same category adds far less diversification than it looks — they tend to move together. This is educational content, not a recommendation.