Bond

A bond is an in-game item that allows a player to pay for selected account-related and out-of-game benefits such as membership, Runecoins and Treasure hunter keys with in-game resources.

Tradeable bonds may be traded to other players and sold on the Grand Exchange; however, when the transaction is complete, the bond will become untradeable. A bond is always bound to a player when it has not been redeemed or traded to another player. It is always kept on death, even when inside the wilderness. Both tradeable and untradeable versions may be stored in a player's bond pouch, up to a total of 500.

Uses
When bought using real life currency, bonds are tradeable. Once traded to another player for an in-game sum of money or items, they become untradeable. Bonds can be made tradeable again for a payment of 10% of their Grand Exchange value (i.e. 10% currently being ).

At any time, whether tradeable or untradeable, bonds can be redeemed for one of the following:
 * Membership:
 * 14 days for 1 bond
 * 29 days for 2 bonds (1 day extra compared to 3 bonds separately redeemed)
 * 45 days for 3 bonds (3 days extra compared to 3 bonds separately redeemed)
 * 12 Treasure Hunter keys
 * 160 RuneCoins
 * 1 Character Name Change (if redeemed on a members server)

Bonds can be used:
 * To trade with other players
 * By selling for in-game money
 * To rent or buy up to five additional preset slots from the Gear interface
 * To buy RuneFest tickets (when tickets are eligible to be purchased during the year)
 * To donate towards charity via the Well of Goodwill when it is active (currently not active)
 * To buy Premier Club membership (when eligible to be purchased during the year)
 * To buy Top Trumps
 * To change your character name more than once a month

Price per unit
The below prices are subject to change, depending on a bond's Grand Exchange value:

Charitable donations
Jagex donated approximately $4.70 per bond put into the Well of Goodwill, slightly less than the purchase price. A selection of charities benefited from the donations.

It can also be used as a form of donation to the Well of Good Will for Helping Disabled Children play Games during The Bonus Exp Weekend of February.

Controversy
A section of the RuneScape community found the introduction of bonds hypocritical and destructive to the integrity of the game, claiming that it was real world trading in the form of gold selling. This is due to the fact that the bonds can be bought with real-life money and sold for in-game gold.

Trivia

 * Despite being tradeable, bonds cannot be placed in the party chest at the Falador Party Room, stored in the treasure chest from Carnillean Rising or a beast of burden; they may also not be staked at the Duel Arena or in Conquest; they may not be fed to a Baby Troll.
 * When buying membership in the UK, two bonds costing £6, giving 28 days, are cheaper per day than buying a £7.50 30-day membership card, but more expensive than buying 30 days of membership directly for £4.95.
 * When redeeming bonds for RuneFest, the room number displayed in the example is "#237". This is a reference to 's The Shining.