Crypto.com Cutting 5% of Workforce Amid Digital Asset Downturn

Blockworks exclusive: Cryptocurrency exchange has been buffeted by underwater crypto markets that have eaten deeply into once-lucrative trading fees, sources said

article-image

blockworks exclusive art by axel rangel

share

key takeaways

  • The layoffs follow those made by rival exchanges Coinbase and Gemini
  • A spokesperson for the exchange said the company would continue to focus on its strategy of partnering with famous athletes with digital asset dealings

In the latest harbinger of troubles in cryptocurrency markets, top exchange Crypto.com is laying off a good chunk of its workforce, according to three sources with knowledge of the matter.

The cuts — which follow Coinbase taking the rare step of rescinding accepted offers and instituting a hiring freeze, plus Gemini laying off 10% of its employees — are the latest begrudging reaction to a beaten-up digital asset market stuck in the doldrums. And they are, sources said, an indication that the yearslong effort by liquidity providers to diversify revenue streams away from spreads on trading fees has yet to bear enough fruit. 

A number of the dismissed, sources said, were well-compensated senior personnel who were valued but difficult to justify when it came to the pressing necessity of cutting costs. 

A spokesperson for Crypto.com told Blockworks the company recently made the “difficult decision” to carry out “targeted reductions” totaling 260 staffers, or 5% of its workforce. 

Sources were granted anonymity to discuss sensitive business dealings.

“I don’t know how long this crypto winter, if we’re in one, is going to last,” one source said. “Some people are saying six to 12 months. Others are saying two years. But [these layoffs] are just the tip of the iceberg. It’s easy to hire big when the going’s good. But the going’s not good, all of a sudden.” 

Another source said exchanges have become “entirely dependent on trading fees — a race to the bottom,” adding that it’s a hard income stream to get away from, without launching new business lines that style-drift away from an exchange’s core business of matching crypto buyers with sellers. 

The industry’s struggles come at a time when institutional investors from the buttoned-up world of stocks and bonds and commodities are increasingly taking digital assets seriously. Even if big-money investors have yet to deploy capital, they’re almost all devoting time and resources to get up to speed, industry participants say. 

“It’s brutal that this is happening now, when we finally start to get taken seriously, after beating this drum for who knows how long,” the third source said. “But we’ll bounce back.”

The Crypto.com spokesperson said the exchange remains focused on shoring up product and engineering capabilities, as well as partnering with professional sports teams, which the exchange deems will “play a crucial role in our mission to accelerate the world’s transition to cryptocurrency.”

Indeed, Crypto.com signed Lebron James as the face of its advertising efforts, capping off a $1 billion push that included a splashy Superbowl ad purchase. 

There are still signs of growth. At the end of May, Crypto.com poached an executive from rival exchange Bittrex, Kwon Park, who is leading the company’s Web3 strategy. The company also received conditional approval to expand its operation to Dubai, joining the likes of Binance, FTX and Bybit in the emirate.


Don’t miss the next big story – join our free daily newsletter.

Tags

Upcoming Events

HYATT REGENCY SALT LAKE CITY

TUES, OCT. 8, 2024

Guided by the expertise of Blockworks Research Analysts team, this one day event will feature senior leaders, entrepreneurs, and developers from across the crypto industry. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in an immersive experience to explore the latest trends, […]

Salt Lake City, UT

WED - FRI, OCTOBER 9 - 11, 2024

Pack your bags, anon — we’re heading west! Join us in the beautiful Salt Lake City for the third installment of Permissionless. Come for the alpha, stay for the fresh air. Permissionless III promises unforgettable panels, killer networking opportunities, and mountains […]

recent research

hivemapper.jpeg

Research

We believe crypto market participants overlook Hivemapper’s fundamental potential due to a poor understanding of both the niche map data market and Hivemapper’s positioning relative to incumbents. Hivemapper’s token model catalyzes both a cost and product advantage via unmatched map freshness and near real-time accuracy, which is its wedge into a market characterized by stale data and high data collection costs. Its current and potential future product suite may represent one of the strongest possibilities for PMF in crypto today.

article-image

The Fidelity Ethereum Fund, like other proposed ETH ETFs, seeks to stake a portion of its assets, according to the firm’s Wednesday registration statement

article-image

The DAO first voted on enabling SAFE transfers over a year ago

article-image

The final Bitcoin halving, where the mining reward becomes smaller than one satoshi, is expected to occur in 2140

article-image

The Department of Justice and Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced back-to-back lawsuits against KuCoin Tuesday

article-image

Judge Failla found that Coinbase didn’t operate as an unregistered broker in offering its wallet service

article-image

A fund by Laser Digital offers investors exposure to the Polygon network, while a new 21Shares ETP focuses on staking rewards from Toncoin