Industry Hiring Cliff: Only 2,932 Active Job Postings Remain
According to the latest report from Tiger Research, as of June 18, 2026, there were only 2,932 active job postings in the crypto industry, representing a decline of over 97% from the estimated peak of about 130,000 in 2022. This data underscores the sustained contraction of the crypto labor market since the end of the 2022 bull run. Layoffs continued through the first half of 2026, with March being the most intense month, as multiple companies—including Gemini, Crypto.com, Algorand, OP Labs, PIP Labs, and Messari—simultaneously announced workforce reductions.
Valuation Collapse and Distressed M&A: The Messari Case
Some firms endured multiple rounds of layoffs before ultimately being acquired at a fraction of their peak valuations. Messari, for instance, went through three rounds of layoffs and was acquired by Blockworks in June 2026 for approximately $10 million, a stark drop from its previous valuation of $300 million during the crypto boom period around 2022. The more than 96% valuation shrinkage highlights the dramatic shift from euphoria to rationalization in the industry.
Hiring Structure Analysis: CEX Dominates, Stablecoins Highly Concentrated
By job distribution, centralized exchanges (CEXs) remain the largest hiring segment, accounting for 30.8% of all postings (904 positions), primarily driven by OKX, Bybit, and Binance. The stablecoin and payments sector accounted for 13.4% of postings but was heavily concentrated at Tether and Ripple, indicating an oligopolistic trend in this niche. Other sectors such as DeFi, infrastructure, and NFTs represented a much smaller share of available positions.
AI Skills Become a New Threshold: Mentions Double to 53.1%
Notably, the demand for artificial intelligence (AI) skills in crypto job listings is rising rapidly. The proportion of job postings that mentioned AI-related skills grew from 23% in early 2025 to 53.1% by March 2026. This trend indicates that crypto companies are increasingly integrating AI technologies—from smart contract auditing and market analysis to trading algorithms—making AI proficiency a critical differentiator for job seekers.