Proof of Search’s Kevin Gibson said the job market looks very different from 2021, when entry-level jobs were easier to land.
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Securing a job in the crypto industry could be challenging for less-experienced candidates this year, with only one in 10 crypto roles at the entry level, according to a new survey from venture capital firm Dragonfly Capital.
Crypto recruitment executives say the trend may be linked to a surge in failed crypto projects in recent times.
“Crypto was hard to break into; less than 10% of roles were entry-level,” Dragonfly Capital in a report published on Thursday, citing data collected from 85 crypto companies in late 2024 and Q1 2025, along with approximately 3,400 employee and candidate data points.
Meanwhile, senior and principal-level positions comprised the largest share of the industry’s roles at 37%. Engineering remained the dominant function across the sample set, accounting for around 67% of total headcount.
Crypto hiring in “cautious” mode this year
Dragonfly stated that, despite a bullish crypto market, rising positive sentiment, and a pro-crypto Trump administration, hiring across the industry has been “cautious,” with net hiring turning negative in the first half of 2025.
“Early swings included strong January job growth, a February tariff shock, and massive reactive job cuts in March,” Dragonfly said.
Entry-level employees bore the brunt of cuts, facing lower salaries and reduced token packages, which were “partly offset by higher equity.”
The results may come as a surprise given crypto’s strong appeal among younger generations. As of December 2024, around one-third, or 34%, of global crypto holders were aged between 24 and 35, according to a by crypto payment company Triple-A.
Kevin Gibson, founder of recruitment firm Proof of Search, said the findings align with his recent observations.
Seasoned crypto staff are back on the market after failed projects
“Despite the overall market positivity and the success of several projects, there have been many instances of projects failing after their token generation events,” Gibson told Cointelegraph.
“This has resulted in many experienced professionals re-entering the job market, giving hiring companies the advantage of selecting from a pool of seasoned candidates,” he said.
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Gibson added that, with many expecting the market to remain strong for at least another six months, firms are doubling down on hiring senior talent to accelerate project delivery.
“We have not yet returned to the recruitment landscape we saw in 2021, where entry-level candidates with minimal experience were quickly picked up,” he said.
Matt Thompson, founder of TRB Executive Search, told Cointelegraph that when market conditions are favorable, crypto companies tend to ramp up hiring, but start making layoffs during downturns.
Thompson said that the volatility itself may deter younger candidates from entering the industry in the long run. “This instability might deter students from pursuing careers in crypto, especially compared to traditional banking, where career longevity is more assured.”
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