#anchoragereportedlycuts17%workforce A Federally Chartered Crypto Bank Just Trimmed Staff — Even With a Fresh $4.2B Valuation Behind It
Anchorage Digital, one of the few crypto companies holding a national trust bank charter, is cutting roughly 17% of its workforce — a reminder that even well-capitalized, regulated players aren't immune to the industry's current cost pressures.
Here's what happened: The Information reported that CEO Nathan McCauley informed employees this week of layoffs affecting approximately 68 of the company's roughly 400 global staff. The cuts come just eight months after Tether invested $100 million in Anchorage at a $4.2 billion valuation — funding that also enabled the company's first employee tender offer. Anchorage hasn't pointed to a lost client, regulatory setback, or failed product as the cause, instead attributing the reduction to broader, sector-wide cost pressures tied to the ongoing crypto market downturn. This marks the company's second round of layoffs, following a larger cut back in 2023. The timing lines up with a rough year for crypto employment broadly — over 7,400 industry jobs have been cut in 2026, with new postings down roughly 80% year-over-year, even as Bitcoin trades well below its October 2025 high near $126,000.
Why does this matter? Anchorage occupies a notable niche as a federally regulated custody provider serving institutional clients — the kind of company often cited as evidence of crypto's maturing infrastructure. Layoffs here, despite recent capital backing, suggest the current downturn is pressuring even the more insulated, institution-facing corners of the industry, not just speculative trading platforms.
Whether this reflects temporary belt-tightening or a longer recalibration of crypto labor costs is something the coming months will likely clarify.
Does a cut like this at a regulated, well-funded firm say more about this company, or about the broader state of the industry right now? 🤔
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