European currencies continue to weaken against the US dollar amid rising geopolitical tensions and increased demand for safe-haven and liquid assets. Market participants are reducing exposure to riskier instruments, putting pressure on both the euro and the pound. Additional support for the dollar comes from expectations surrounding upcoming US macroeconomic data, which may confirm economic resilience and reinforce the Federal Reserve’s hawkish stance.

Escalating tensions in the Middle East remain a key driver for the FX market. Intensifying conflict, risks of disruptions to energy supplies, and rising oil prices are fuelling inflation expectations and boosting demand for the dollar. In such conditions, European currencies remain under pressure as investors favour safer assets over risk-sensitive ones.

EUR/USD

EUR/USD continues to decline and is approaching its yearly lows, remaining under pressure following the recent bearish impulse. The failure of buyers to secure a foothold above 1.1640 last week allowed sellers to regain control and push the pair towards the recent low near 1.1440. Yearly lows are now within close reach, and weaker eurozone data or stronger US figures could intensify the downside, potentially leading to a break below 1.1400.

At the same time, if 1.1440 holds as support, a corrective rebound towards 1.1520–1.1540 may unfold.

Key events for EUR/USD:

• today at 09:00 (GMT+2): German retail sales
• today at 10:55 (GMT+2): change in German unemployment
• today at 17:00 (GMT+2): US CB consumer confidence index

GBP/USD

GBP/USD is showing more pronounced weakness, having already refreshed its yearly lows amid impulsive selling pressure. The pound is weighed down by a combination of external factors, including US dollar strength, and domestic uncertainty related to the outlook for Bank of England monetary policy.

Technical analysis suggests the possibility of a corrective move higher towards 1.3250–1.3280; however, under current conditions such a recovery is likely to be limited ahead of a potential resumption of the downward move.

Key events for GBP/USD:

• today at 09:00 (GMT+2): UK GDP
• today at 09:00 (GMT+2): UK current account balance
• today at 14:30 (GMT+2): US JOLTS job openings

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Archblock, TrustToken, and TrueCoin, the firms originally behind stablecoin TrueUSD, have declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing Techteryx’s failure to pay invoices and Archblock being defrauded by “a sophisticated criminal enterprise working out of Eastern Europe.”

This comes after Archblock and its sister firms became embroiled in a series of calamities and legal disputes and sold several key parts of its business.

Techteryx and Justin Sun

The affidavit of Michael Blank, the current general counsel for Archblock, claims that in 2020, Archblock committed to “a significant downsizing, materially reducing its burn rate and extending its operational runway.”

In order to achieve this, it made the choice to sell TrueUSD.

Specifically, it chose to sell it to Justin Sun-connected Techteryx.

• Fed Signal: Powell’s Harvard comments sent CME FedWatch rate-hike odds tumbling from 25% to 5% for 2026, with the 2-year yield sliding eight basis points to 3.83%.
• Oil Level: WTI crude rose 5.3% Monday to close near $105 per barrel – the first close above $100 since 2022, sustained by the ongoing US-Iran conflict.
• Crypto Impact: Bitcoin shed early gains and settled around $66,500, roughly flat on the 24-hour, as risk appetite compressed across equities and digital assets.
• Rate Path: The March 18 FOMC held the federal funds rate at 3.5%–3.75% for a second consecutive meeting, with the SEP projecting one quarter-point cut in 2026.

Decentralized Finance (DeFi) has built its reputation on one core promise: trustless security powered by cryptography. From smart contracts to cross-chain bridges, the entire ecosystem assumes that today’s encryption standards are unbreakable.

That assumption may not age well.

A silent disruption is approaching—not from regulators, not from hackers, but from quantum computing. And if DeFi doesn’t evolve fast enough, the very foundations of its security model could crack.

The Quantum Threat to DeFi

At the heart of DeFi lies public-key cryptography—specifically systems like the Elliptic Curve Cryptography used in wallets and transactions. Today, it’s virtually impossible for classical computers to reverse-engineer private keys from public ones.

Quantum computers change that equation.

Algorithms like Shor’s Algorithm could theoretically break ECC and RSA encryption in a fraction of the time. This means:

• Wallet private keys could be derived from public addresses
• Signed transactions could be forged
• Entire blockchain histories could be manipulated

Suddenly, “not your keys, not your coins” becomes “your keys aren’t safe anymore.”

The Timeline Problem: It’s Not If, It’s When

Here’s where things get tricky: quantum computers capable of breaking modern cryptography aren’t fully here yet—but progress is accelerating.

Organizations like IBM Quantum and Google Quantum AI are pushing the boundaries every year. While estimates vary, many experts believe that cryptographically relevant quantum computers could emerge within the next decade or two.

And here’s the real danger:

Attackers don’t need to break DeFi today—they can harvest data now and decrypt it later.

This is known as the “harvest now, decrypt later” strategy.

Why DeFi Is Uniquely Vulnerable

Unlike traditional finance, DeFi operates in a fully transparent environment:

• Public wallet addresses
• Open transaction histories
• Immutable smart contracts

Once quantum decryption becomes viable, all previously exposed public keys become attack vectors.

Even worse, many DeFi protocols are not easily upgradeable. If a smart contract wasn’t designed with post-quantum migration in mind, it may be permanently vulnerable.

The Shift Toward Post-Quantum Cryptography

The solution isn’t to panic—it’s to prepare.

Enter Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC): a new generation of cryptographic algorithms designed to withstand quantum attacks.

These include:

• Lattice-based cryptography
• Hash-based signatures
• Multivariate polynomial schemes

Governments and institutions (like the National Institute of Standards and Technology) are already working to standardize these approaches.

But integrating PQC into DeFi isn’t plug-and-play—it requires deep protocol redesigns, wallet upgrades, and coordinated ecosystem migration.

Validator Networks + Checkpointing: A Practical Defense Layer

While full quantum resistance is still evolving, hybrid solutions are emerging—and this is where things get interesting.

Concepts like validator networks combined with checkpointing mechanisms offer a bridge between current security and future resilience.

Here’s the idea:

• Independent validator networks continuously monitor blockchain states
• They embed post-quantum hashes as checkpoints
• In case of a quantum-induced attack (e.g., chain reorg), the network can revert to a verified state

This is similar to emerging designs like the QUIP concept, where:

• Multi-party computation ensures distributed validation
• Post-quantum signatures secure state checkpoints
• Recovery mechanisms allow restoration after malicious interference

Think of it as a time-anchored safety net for DeFi systems.

The Migration Challenge

Upgrading DeFi to a post-quantum world isn’t just technical—it’s social and economic.

Key challenges include:

• User migration: Convincing users to move funds to quantum-safe wallets
• Protocol upgrades: Redeploying or migrating liquidity across new contracts
• Backward compatibility: Ensuring legacy systems don’t become instant liabilities
• Coordination: Aligning thousands of decentralized teams and communities

In a space that struggles to agree on governance proposals, this is no small feat.

So… Are We Ready?

Short answer: Not yet.

Long answer: We still have time—but not as much as we think.

DeFi today is like a fortress built with the strongest locks of its era. But quantum computing isn’t a better lockpick—it’s a completely different game.

The projects that start preparing now—by experimenting with post-quantum cryptography, hybrid security models, and checkpointing systems—will define the next era of decentralized finance.

Final Thought

DeFi solved trust by removing intermediaries.

Now it faces a deeper challenge: removing assumptions about the future of computation itself.

Because in a post-quantum world, security won’t be about what worked yesterday—it’ll be about who prepared for tomorrow first.

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Keyrock, a Brussels-based digital asset services firm, has raised a Series C round led by SC Ventures, the venture arm of Standard Chartered, at a valuation of $1.1 billion, the company said in a press release Tuesday.

Ripple, which provides blockchain-based enterprise infrastructure, also participated in the fundraising as an existing backer. The funding round remains open and could total up to $100 million.

Keyrock said in the release that the new capital will be used to strengthen its balance sheet, expand its suite of services and pursue acquisitions.

Founded in 2017, the firm offers market making, asset management, over-the-counter (OTC) trading and options services across digital asset markets. It positions itself as a bridge between traditional financial institutions and crypto-native markets.

“In 2026, we’re pushing for more growth in our services, client base, and geographic reach, as we look to gain greater market share and reinforce our position as a leading player,” Keyrock CEO Kevin de Patoul said in the release.

Keyrock operates across more than 80 centralized and decentralized trading venues and has a workforce of over 200 employees globally.

The firm expanded into asset and wealth management by acquiring Turing Capital, a Luxembourg-registered alternative investment fund manager, in September last year.

That deal marked the launch of Keyrock’s Asset and Wealth Management division, a new business unit dedicated to institutional clients and private investors.

Read more: CEO of crypto investment firm Keyrock says bitcoin is undervalued, entering ‘transition year’

• Bitmine has increased its Ethereum (ETH) holdings to over 4.73 million.
• The company is adding to its ETH treasury strategy despite market struggles.
• Ethereum price holds near $2,000.

Bitmine Immersion Technologies, led by Tom Lee, has accelerated its Ethereum acquisitions, marking its largest purchase of 2026 so far.

According to a company update, Bitmine’s total Ethereum holdings have risen to more than 4.73 million ETH, while its combined crypto and cash reserves now exceed $10.7 billion.

The firm has also expanded its staking activity, even as Ethereum trades near the $2,000 level amid broader weakness in the crypto market.

The downturn has prompted notable capital outflows from ETH-focused investment products.

Largest weekly purchase lifts holdings

In a Monday update, Bitmine said it executed its biggest weekly Ethereum purchase of the year, acquiring 71,179 ETH.

The transaction lifted its total ETH treasury to 4.73 million tokens, representing about 3.92% of Ethereum’s total supply.

The latest purchase significantly exceeds the firm’s recent weekly average of 45,000–50,000 ETH, underscoring a more aggressive accumulation strategy.

This contrasts with broader market behavior, where many digital asset treasuries have either paused purchases or liquidated holdings amid declining prices.

Crypto outperforms despite macro headwinds

Ongoing macroeconomic and geopolitical pressures have weighed on risk assets.

Commenting on the trend, Bitmine chairman Thomas Lee said:

“As the Iran war enters its fifth week, ETH and crypto have outperformed the broader market, with ETH outperforming equities by 1,160 basis points. This stands in contrast to gold, which has underperformed by more than 750 basis points. Crypto is demonstrating its potential as a wartime store of value.”

Bitmine remains one of the few large corporate buyers maintaining a consistent accumulation strategy despite market headwinds.

In contrast, Michael Saylor’s Strategy—the world’s largest corporate holder of Bitcoin—recently paused its 13-week buying streak.

Ethereum holds above $2,000 despite outflows

Ethereum has remained resilient around the $2,000 level and is up nearly 10% over the past month, although upside momentum remains limited.

The asset has held near this range despite persistent exchange outflows and cautious institutional sentiment.

Data from CoinShares showed that ETH investment products recorded $222 million in net outflows last week.

Bitcoin products also saw outflows of more than $194 million, contributing to a broader $414 million withdrawal across crypto investment vehicles.

Long-term conviction persists

Despite these outflows, Bitmine’s continued accumulation highlights strong long-term conviction among select institutional players.

The Ethereum Foundation also signaled a similar stance, staking more than $46 million worth of ETH on Monday.

Looking ahead, Ethereum prices could benefit from underlying resilience and potentially move higher in the coming weeks or months.

However, a break below the $2,000 level remains a risk if negative sentiment intensifies.

Ex-Blackstone staffers raised $25M for Valinor, a startup using smart contracts to move private credit workflows on-chain and lend first to crypto firms.

Valinor, an on-chain private credit startup co-founded by former Blackstone employees, has raised $25 million in seed funding to move the mechanics of private lending onto public blockchains. Fortune reports that the round was led by Castle Island Ventures, with participation from the crypto arm of trading giant Susquehanna, venture firm Maven11 and the founder of bitcoin miner TeraWulf, which is currently pivoting part of its business toward artificial intelligence. The capital will go toward scaling Valinor’s loan book, broadening its customer base and hiring beyond its current six-person team.

In its current form, Valinor’s core pitch is straightforward: take the revolving credit lines and structured loans that dominate traditional private credit, and transplant the back-office process onto smart contracts. As Fortune explains, conventional lenders still lean heavily on “manual verification and spreadsheet collaboration” to manage covenants, drawdowns and repayments, a structure that is slow, opaque and operationally brittle. Valinor plans to replace those workflows with contracts that “automate routing of funds and condition-triggered execution,” essentially turning legal and operational terms into on-chain logic that runs by itself once parameters are met.

Both Valinor co-founders come out of traditional finance, having worked in banking and in Blackstone’s private credit division before moving into crypto in 2022. That background gives them familiarity with how large allocators think about risk, documentation and recovery—skills they now want to port into a blockchain-native environment. In its first phase, the company is focusing on lending to crypto companies rather than trying to underwrite the entire corporate universe at once, using the sector it knows best as a testing ground for its on-chain underwriting and servicing rails.

Fortune notes that Valinor “has completed lending for several fintech and crypto companies through blockchain technology,” suggesting that the platform is already live with real borrowers rather than just in pilot mode. Over time, the founders say they intend to introduce more of the loan lifecycle—origination, servicing, covenant monitoring—onto the chain, with the goal of improving efficiency and transparency for both lenders and borrowers. That aligns with a broader tokenization and real-world-asset push in credit markets, where other projects have started to bring trade finance, consumer loans and SME receivables on-chain under regulated structures.

The timing of Valinor’s raise underscores how quickly private credit has become a focal point for both traditional funds and crypto-native investors. In earlier crypto.news coverage of real-world-assets, asset managers described private credit as one of the most promising use cases for blockchain rails, precisely because of its fragmented data and heavy operational burden. A separate crypto.news story on tokenization highlighted how on-chain structures can give lenders near real-time visibility into collateral and payment flows, a sharp contrast with quarterly PDF reports and email chains. Another crypto.news story on institutional DeFi noted that some of the most active experiments now pair off-chain underwriting with on-chain execution, a model Valinor appears to be embracing.

For now, the startup’s immediate challenge is execution: proving that smart contracts can handle the messy edge-cases of private credit as reliably as seasoned back offices, and convincing conservative allocators that on-chain rails reduce, rather than add, operational risk. If it can do that at scale, the $25 million seed round led by Castle Island may look less like a niche crypto bet and more like an early stake in a new operating system for private lending.