Crypto.com Cuts 12% of Workforce in AI-Driven Restructuring

Crypto.com has eliminated 12 percent of its workforce in a restructuring the company attributes to enterprise-wide artificial intelligence integration, marking another high-profile case of automation-driven job cuts in the technology sector.

CEO Kris Marszalek framed the decision as existential, stating that adapting to AI is essential for survival. The layoffs follow the company's $70 million purchase of AI.com, signaling a strategic pivot toward automation across operations.

The move places Crypto.com alongside firms including Block and Meta in a broader industry pattern of streamlining operations through AI-enabled automation. Unlike previous cost-cutting waves driven by market downturns or over-hiring, this round explicitly ties workforce reductions to technological substitution.

(The announcement comes as cryptocurrency platforms face sustained pressure to demonstrate profitability amid regulatory scrutiny and volatile market conditions. Crypto.com has not disclosed which departments or geographies were most affected by the cuts.)

The trend reflects a shift in corporate AI strategy from augmentation to replacement. Where early adopters positioned AI as a tool to enhance employee productivity, recent announcements increasingly frame automation as a path to reducing headcount. Goldman Sachs has signaled a similar approach, planning to shift from large-scale layoffs to rolling staff reductions starting in April 2026.

The cryptocurrency sector's embrace of AI-driven restructuring may accelerate as platforms compete on operational efficiency. Crypto.com's dual investment in AI infrastructure and workforce reduction suggests the company views automation not as a future capability but as an immediate operational imperative.