Iron Bank Euro (IBEUR), a low-cap alternative stablecoin, is currently facing a severe crisis with no clear path to regain its stablecoin peg. The value of IBEUR plummeted by a significant 60% on Monday, causing panic among investors. With an issuance of $3.7 million, the stablecoin experienced a drastic drop from $0.97 (€0.89) to a low of $0.39. This sharp decline was a result of disruptions in IBEUR’s main trading pool, leading to an imbalance in the asset’s markets.
Following the crash, there was a brief recovery as the stablecoin surged back up to $0.82. Unfortunately, this upward trend did not last long, and IBEUR soon entered into a downtrend once again. As of the time of writing on Wednesday, IBEUR is trading at $0.70, roughly equivalent to €0.64. Ideally, IBEUR should be pegged at €1, but it has consistently traded around €0.98 over the past month, according to data from CoinGecko.
Despite the partial recovery, concerns remain regarding the stablecoin’s ability to swiftly reclaim its previous price level. Internal sources suggest that IBEUR is currently not actively maintaining its peg, and the required treasury liquidity to stabilize the asset is lacking. This lack of engagement in peg maintenance raises doubts about the stability of IBEUR.
In an attempt to address the situation, the pseudonymous administrator of the Keep3r Network Telegram chat, linked to the project, outlined potential paths to repegging. One option mentioned was for the Keep3r treasury to trade liquid assets for IBEUR at a discount. By acquiring IBEUR, they can then allocate it to pay down some of their outstanding borrows with Iron Bank.
The depeg incident was set in motion by a single trader who withdrew nearly $900,000 in USDC liquidity from the Curve pool that primarily supports trading in IBEUR. This withdrawal resulted in an imbalance as the pool was slightly weighted toward IBEUR and lacked sufficient USDC liquidity to maintain proper trading alignment. In the Keep3r chat, Funk acknowledged the need to wait for the curve pool to readjust regarding the IBEUR/USDC pool.
The crisis facing Iron Bank Euro (IBEUR) has created significant uncertainty surrounding its stability. The sharp drop in value, combined with the lack of active peg maintenance, has raised concerns among investors. The potential paths to repegging mentioned by the Keep3r Network administrator provide some hope, but it remains to be seen whether IBEUR can regain its previous price level. With lingering doubts and an ongoing imbalance in the trading pool, the future of IBEUR hangs in the balance.