Botwin's Morning Wire

Quantus founder Christopher Smith said that the first indication that quantum computers have compromised modern cryptography could appear as a series of unexplained crypto wallet breaches. Quantum computers capable of deriving private keys from public keys would allow attackers to move funds without accessing wallets, devices, or exchange systems. Recent advances in quantum algorithms and AI have lowered the estimated hardware requirements for breaking elliptic‑curve cryptography used by major blockchains. Smith said the most valuable keys may include administrative tokens such as Tether’s minting key, which could enable creation of new stablecoins without the issuer’s response. He added that military systems and state secrets could be early targets, while crypto attackers might pursue other high‑value administrative keys. The timing of a quantum computer able to break public‑key cryptography remains uncertain. Smith estimated a 50‑50 probability by 2028, while security researcher Sean Cheetham said an early 2030s arrival is almost certain, and Solana chief information security officer Michael Coates declined to give an estimate, noting that industry expectations have long held a five‑year horizon that has persisted for more than a decade. Google accelerated its post‑quantum migration timeline to 2029 after an AI‑assisted breakthrough demonstrated that elliptic‑curve cryptography could be cracked with fewer physical qubits than previously forecasted. NGRAVE CEO Roy Blackstone said that blockchains are already migrating to post‑quantum signatures to prevent serious damage. Industry participants continue to adopt post‑quantum standards despite ongoing uncertainty about when quantum capabilities will become practical.

In 2026, more than 100 cryptocurrency projects have stopped operating, filed for bankruptcy or become inactive, according to data from RootData. The decline follows a 70% to 90% drop in altcoin prices and a surge of security breaches. The market had expanded rapidly after 2023, when lower transaction costs spurred the creation of many layer‑2 networks and independent blockchains. Most projects relied on token‑based compensation and treasury funding, assuming token values would remain stable. Over the first half of 2026, exploits resulted in $1.1 billion in losses, according to a Blockaid report. Two attacks alone accounted for $293 million from Kelp DAO on April 18 and $285 million from Drift Protocol on April 1, the latter linked to North Korean‑affiliated actors. The frequency of attacks rose, with April 2026 recorded as the most‑hacked month by number of incidents, according to TRM Labs. While many projects attempted to raise rescue capital, venture firms reduced exposure and token‑denominated treasuries were depleted by the bear market, limiting rapid recovery. Orphaned contracts continued to run on chains after teams dissolved; for example, Moonbeam halted block production on July 31, leaving assets locked in DeFi protocols such as Moonwell inaccessible. The pattern of closures reflects a broader industry shift toward revenue generation in fiat rather than native tokens, as noted by Hyperliquid, which recorded $1 billion in cumulative fees by June 30, and Aave, which held over $12 billion in deposits and generated more than $100 million in annualized borrow fees. Ether.fi reported $2.72 million in transaction fees in Q2 2026 and held $7.8 billion in total value locked, driven by a crypto‑linked debit card that contributed roughly half of revenue. Founders such as Ben Fisch of Espresso Systems, Marek Olszewski of Celo’s layer‑2, and Orkun Mahir Kılıç of Chainway Labs described the shakeout as a consolidation phase that strengthens the ecosystem by favoring projects with sustainable business models. Analysts such as Lorenzo Valente of Ark Invest warned that the current consolidation may be the most profound in crypto’s history, with capital becoming more selective and revenue concentration reaching historic levels. The industry expects that surviving projects will be those that generate revenue outside of token markets and that continued security improvements will be essential as the market matures.

Shueisha announced that the new 36-page one-shot titled 'War vs Peace' will appear in Weekly Shonen Jump's August 24 issue, which combines issues 37 and 38. The story is set after the manga's main narrative.

Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu launched The Promised Neverland in August 2016; the series ended in June 2020. Shueisha is celebrating the 10th anniversary with a stage musical in Tokyo this winter, a full-color digital edition, pop-up stores in Japanese cities during May and June, and an online lottery event.

Viz Media publishes the manga in North America in print and digital formats, while MANGA Plus provides digital releases in English. The franchise has two anime seasons, the first in 2019 and the second in 2021, and a live-action film released in December 2020.

The announcements mark the latest anniversary initiatives for the series.

The upcoming releases aim to extend the franchise's visibility beyond its original conclusion.