Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Coinbase to lay off 20 per cent of staff as crypto winter continues

Share

The is apparently Coinbase announced Tuesday that it was laying off 950 people, about 20% of its staff. The job cuts come only a few months after another major round of layoffs. The crypto brokerage firm about 18% of its headcount at the time.

Coinbase, like many other publicly traded and privately held crypto companies, has been hit hard by the massive plunge in the price of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. The price of bitcoin is hovering around US$17,000 after peaking near US$65,000 in late 2021.

Some crypto fans have been encouraged by the solid start for bitcoin so far in 2023. Bitcoin is up more than 4% since the start of the year, suggesting that crypto prices may have finally bottomed out.

The hope is that bitcoin and other crypto prices may start to stabilize, especially if financial regulators start to provide more guidance and clarity about their stance on cryptos. That could mean the worst is almost over.

"A large portion of the capitulation move has already opened and the tide could be changing soon," said Naeem Aslam, chief market analyst at AvaTrade, in a report Tuesday. He suggested that if bitcoin is able to rally back to above US$20,000, then that "could revive some confidence among traders."

Still, bitcoin bulls don't have much to cheer just yet. Shares of , which went public in April 2021 and hit an all-time high of near US$370 a share later that year, have since plummeted to about $40 -- a nearly 90% drop from their peak.

The stock did rise 4% Tuesday after the layoffs were announced. Coinbase is now up nearly 13% so far in 2023.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong stressed that the company "is well capitalized, and crypto isn't going anywhere."

But Armstrong added that layoffs were necessary because "we need to make sure we have the appropriate operational efficiency to weather downturns in the crypto market, and capture opportunities that may emerge."

The free fall for bitcoin has led to a crisis of confidence in the industry. Several high profile crypto companies have , most notably one-time crypto darling (and Coinbase rival) FTX.

The was once valued at $37 billion before it filed for bankruptcy. Bankman-Fried, or SBF as he's more commonly known, has since been , was and is now in the US.

SBF has been with alleged wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and several other crimes.

In what could be construed as a jab at FTX and other bankrupt crypto firms, Armstrong said in the blog post that "dark times also weed out bad companies, as we're seeing right now."

Armstrong added that "we also saw the fallout from unscrupulous actors in the industry, and there could still be further contagion."

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

The owners of a North York condominium say they are facing a $70,000 special assessment to fix their building's parking garage. '$70,000 is a lot of money. It makes me very nervous and stressed out of nowhere for this huge debt to come in,' said Ligeng Guo.

Police released the identities of the mother and daughter who were killed after a fire tore through a 160-year-old building in Old Montreal on Friday.

The sentencing of the man who pleaded guilty in the deadly hit-and-run in Kitsilano two years ago began on Friday.

A 30-year-old northwestern Ontario woman has been charged with arson following a structure fire Thursday night, police say.

Argentine star Lionel Messi was on the bench to start Inter Miami CF's game in Toronto on Saturday.

Travelling on a budget can be stressful, but there are ways you can ensure you're getting the best deal on flights as the holiday season approaches.

Local Spotlight

Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.

From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.

A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.

The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.

A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north

What does New Westminster's təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.

New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.

Stay Connected