How to Get TCY on THORChain: A Step-by-Step Guide

A practical walkthrough for acquiring native TCY, checking your swap, and understanding staking.

TCY is THORChain's native yield token, available to acquire through supported swap interfaces. This guide explains how to buy TCY, what to check before confirming a swap, and how staking works after your purchase.

Key takeaways

• TCY is a native THORChain asset: Verify the asset and receiving wallet before confirming a swap.
• Buying is not staking: TCY must be staked to qualify for its share of protocol income distributed in RUNE.
• Review before confirming: Check the estimated TCY output, transaction details, and receiving address before approving the swap.

What is TCY?

TCY (THORChain Yield) was introduced as part of THORChain's 2025 restructuring of its former lending and savers programs. TCY stakers receive a proportional share of 10% of THORChain System Income, paid once a day in RUNE. Rewards depend on actual protocol income and are not a fixed yield.

For the history, eligibility and token design, read the original TCY Launch announcement: https://blog.thorchain.org/tcy-launch

Where can you buy TCY?

Start at THORChain's official TCY page: https://thorchain.org/tcy . Select “Buy $TCY” to open the THORChain Swap. You can review the available source assets and swap quotes there.

How to buy TCY: Step by step

Step 1. Open the official TCY page

Visit https://thorchain.org/tcy and click the “Buy $TCY” button. This page also provides an overview of TCY, including its purpose, tokenomics, and supported wallets.

Step 2. Open the swap interface and choose your input asset

The button opens https://swap.thorchain.org/ . Select the cryptocurrency you want to swap for TCY and enter the amount. The interface will automatically calculate the estimated TCY you'll receive.

Step 3. Connect your wallet

Click Connect Wallet and choose your preferred wallet from the available options.

Once connected, review the transaction details and click on the “Swap” button.

Step 4. Enter your THORChain receiving address

Enter the THORChain address or THORName where you want to receive your TCY.

Before proceeding, check the $TCY Wallets section to ensure your wallet supports native TCY. Some wallets that support RUNE may not support TCY.

Make sure you're using a compatible self-custody wallet. Do not use an exchange deposit address, smart contract wallet, or another unsupported address, as this may result in loss of funds.

Acknowledge the wallet compatibility warning and click Next.

Step 5: Complete the swap

Review the final transaction summary, including the assets, amounts, fees, and receiving address.

If everything is correct, click Confirm. Your connected wallet will prompt you to authorize the transaction. Review the wallet confirmation carefully and approve the transaction to submit your swap.

Depending on the asset you're swapping, you may need to approve the token before proceeding.

Step 6: Verify your TCY balance

Once the swap is complete, verify that TCY has arrived at your specified THORChain receiving address. You can also check the transaction status and details through the History section of the swap interface.

Note: If you face any error or issue in completing the transaction, use the interface's “Support” option in the bottom right corner.

How do you stake TCY after buying it?

Buying TCY does not automatically mean it is staked. To participate in staking rewards, you must stake your TCY separately.

THORChain allocates 10% of its System Income to TCY stakers, with rewards distributed daily in RUNE. The amount received depends on protocol income and your share of the total staked TCY.

To get started, visit the official TCY staking interface and follow the instructions to connect a compatible wallet and stake your TCY.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need RUNE to buy TCY?

No. You can buy TCY using supported cryptocurrencies without holding RUNE. Available assets and fees depend on the swap route.

However, staking and unstaking TCY require a small amount of RUNE to cover THORChain network fees (currently 0.02 RUNE). Make sure you have sufficient RUNE in your wallet before attempting either transaction.

Does buying TCY automatically earn staking rewards?

No. Purchased TCY must be staked to qualify for the proportional System Income distribution. Follow the current official staking workflow.

Are TCY rewards fixed?

No. Distributions depend on THORChain System Income and your share of staked TCY. The RUNE amount and market value can vary.

Get started

Explore TCY and its supported interfaces at https://thorchain.org/tcy. Review the swap carefully, use a compatible wallet and consult the original TCY launch article if you want the background before buying.

Sources and further reading

THORChain, TCY Launch: https://blog.thorchain.org/tcy-launch

THORChain, TCY overview: https://thorchain.org/tcy

THORChain swap interface: https://swap.thorchain.org/

THORChain, TCY staking interface: https://tcy.thorchain.org/

THORChain documentation, Tokenomics of RUNE and TCY: https://docs.thorchain.org/tokenomics-rune-tcy