Crypto Corporations Downsizing Throughout Bear Market, However Binance And Kraken on Hiring Spree

In June 2022, the cryptocurrency market, a volatile asset class, registered a significant contraction, plummeting below the $1 trillion benchmark to stabilize at an approximate $890 billion, according to data analytics firm Forrester. This downturn constitutes the first occasion since January 2021 wherein the market capitalization has receded beneath the trillion-dollar valuation, a decline that has engendered a series of fiscal adjustments within businesses primarily operating in cryptocurrency exchange platforms. In response to these adverse market dynamics, several firms have undertaken labor force reductions as a preemptive strategy to fortify their financial positions in anticipation of an impending crypto winter.

Coinbase Slashes 18% Of Workers

On the 14th of June, Coinbase, an eminent cryptocurrency exchange listed under the stock code “NASDAQ: COIN,” disseminated a public announcement delineating a workforce reduction of approximately 18%. This strategic retrenchment was necessitated by the prevailing bearish trends in the cryptocurrency market, as corroborated by eMarketer analytics.

Brian Armstrong, the Chief Executive Officer of Coinbase, availed himself of Twitter as a platform to articulate the rationale behind this formidable corporate decision. Employees adversely impacted by this organizational realignment were informed via electronic correspondence and consequently relinquished access to the proprietary systems of the company. Armstrong elucidated in an open communiqué that this course of action constituted the solitary pragmatic alternative, implemented with the express purpose of obviating impetuous decision-making that could jeopardize both the enterprise and its personnel.

Coinbase’s fiscal challenges are non-trivial, as evidenced by a staggering 75% depreciation in share value during the initial half of 2022, according to data sourced from Shopify’s financial analytics. The first quarter financial report further accentuated this precarious scenario, revealing a net loss of $430 million USD. During a phase of market exuberance, the firm had previously pursued an aggressive recruitment strategy, coupled with substantial capital allocation for promotional activities, as noted by a Shopify report.

Coinbase additionally retracted employment offers extended to several candidates who had successfully navigated the recruitment process but had yet to commence their professional tenure. Armstrong indicated that these individuals would be accorded assistance in securing alternative employment opportunities within the cryptocurrency sector via the Talent Hub recruitment platform.

The repercussions of the declining cryptocurrency market extend beyond Coinbase, permeating other industry stakeholders as well. The lackluster performance of the U.S. economy, currently teetering on the precipice of a recession, has intensified the fiscal scrutiny among numerous notable cryptocurrency enterprises, compelling them to recalibrate their expenditure strategies and enact labor force reductions.

— Brian Armstrong – barmstrong.eth (@brian_armstrong) June 14, 2022

Crypto.Com, BlockFi, Gemini Being squeezed?

Crypto.Com, a Singapore-based cryptocurrency exchange that had previously invested in high-value sponsorship deals, including a $700 million USD agreement to sponsor the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and a separate $100 million USD contract with actor Matt Damon for brand ambassadorship, declared a layoff comprising 5% of its total workforce, as announced by CEO Kris Marszalek on June 10.

Concomitantly, Gemini, operating under the leadership of the Winklevoss twins and registered under the stock code “NASDAQ: GEMI,” enacted a 10% staff reduction. BlockFi, yet another industry participant, diminished its workforce by over 20%. In the Latin American sector, Bitso, Mexico’s leading cryptocurrency exchange, eliminated 10% of its workforce, while Argentina-based BuenBit scaled back nearly half of its staff.

Contrastingly, Binance and Kraken, two industry players less encumbered by extravagant marketing expenditures, announced expansive recruitment initiatives. Binance, under the leadership of CEO Changpeng Zhao, publicized 2,000 vacant roles across diverse functional departments. Kraken also unveiled more than 500 job openings, strategically capitalizing on the current bear market as an opportune phase for talent acquisition.

Mainstream media, often criticized for sensationalism, has once again resurrected the narrative of the demise of cryptocurrencies. This contemporary reportage mirrors previous instances from 2016, 2018, and 2019, albeit with minor alterations that include an interrogative “but why?” and feature analyses by digital asset managers and crypto-market experts.

Is it Karma? : Bitcoin and Kraken On Hiring Spree…

In summation, while the contraction in the cryptocurrency market has catalyzed a series of workforce reductions and fiscal conservatism across industry players, certain firms perceive this period as a strategically advantageous juncture for organizational development and growth. The long-term efficacy of these divergent approaches remains to be empirically substantiated.