AI Is Triggering a Wave of Layoffs at Crypto Companies; Coinbase Says “The Greatest Risk Is Inaction”

By Zhao Ying

Source: WallStreetCN

Artificial intelligence is becoming the central narrative behind a new wave of layoffs sweeping the crypto and fintech industries. Coinbase, PayPal, Gemini, and Crypto.com have all cut jobs, citing automation and efficiency gains as primary drivers. Yet critics argue that some firms may be using AI as a rhetorical cover to obscure the real costs of declining business performance and overexpansion.

According to Bloomberg, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong delivered a forceful statement on layoffs this Tuesday, warning that “the greatest risk right now is inaction” and declaring the company’s intent to become a “lean, fast, AI-native” organization. This remark marks a new high point for executives across the crypto industry publicly framing layoffs through the lens of AI-driven restructuring.

The direct market impact of this wave of layoffs lies in a fundamental reshaping of hiring logic at crypto and fintech firms: technical and operations roles are facing sustained compression, while managerial hierarchies are flattening at an accelerating pace. Investors must now determine whether this signals a genuine leap forward in industry efficiency—or instead represents a cyclical contraction dressed up in AI rhetoric.

Block Leads the Way, Industry Follows

Per Bloomberg, the momentum of this layoff wave accelerated markedly after Block announced large-scale job cuts. Block—the parent company of Square and Cash App—announced significant layoffs earlier this year, explicitly incorporating AI into its broader restructuring plan. Following Block’s lead, several peer companies have adopted similar language, characterizing their layoffs as proactive preparations for an AI-driven future.

Coinbase has been especially active in this regard. Beyond reducing headcount, the company is also compressing management layers, requiring managers to operate in a “player-coach” model—simultaneously executing tasks and overseeing teams. Blockchain infrastructure firm 0G Labs stated that, after internal AI tools significantly boosted productivity, it reduced its workforce by 25%.

Accusations of “AI Whitewashing” Emerge

Critics remain unconvinced by this narrative. Many of these firms face more immediate business pressures: trading activity in crypto assets has clearly cooled; digital asset prices remain below recent highs; and payment-focused companies are struggling amid slowing growth and intensifying competition.

Some firms also contend with specific internal challenges. Block expanded aggressively during the pandemic boom, accumulating substantial redundancy; PayPal remains in the midst of a comprehensive transformation led by its new management team. These contexts have fueled external accusations of “AI whitewashing”—using artificial intelligence as a more palatable justification to mask layoffs driven by weak demand or excessive hiring.

John Todaro, analyst at Needham & Company, voiced blunt skepticism: “Every time I see layoffs where AI is cited as a reason, I step back and ask: Have we seen this happen at companies riding a hot market?” He added: “I’m not sure I believe the AI explanation.”

Two Logics Coexist—But Their Proportions Are Debated

Other observers contend that both explanations can coexist. Raman Shalupau, founder of crypto job platform CryptoJobsList, estimates that across the industry, current layoffs break down roughly “80/20”—with 80% attributable to genuine AI-driven efficiency gains and 20% to trimming redundancies accumulated during the last bull market.

This assessment implies that AI is indeed driving substantive structural change in job composition—but the scale and speed of that change vary significantly across firms. Even among companies that haven’t undertaken large-scale layoffs, job functions are rapidly reorganizing around automation tools, with certain repetitive tasks increasingly handled by systems rather than new hires.