Securing a job in the crypto industry can be a challenge for less experienced candidates this year, with only 1 in 10 crypto duties at the entry level, according to a new survey from venture capital firm Dragonfly Capital.
Crypto recrutives say that the trend can be linked to a climbing of failed crypto projects in recent times.
“Crypto is hard to break; less than 10% of duties are entry levels,” Dragonfly Capital Says In a report published on Thursday, mentioning data collected from 85 crypto companies in late 2024 and Q1 2025, with approximately 3,400 data and candidate data points.
Meanwhile, senior and principal positions consist of the largest part of industry duties at 37%. Engineering remained dominant operating throughout the set of sample, providing about 67% of the total headcount.
Crypto rent in “Careful” mode this year
Dragonfly said that, despite a bullish market market, rising positive emotions, and an ad-pro-crypto management of Trump, the lease across the industry was “careful,” with net hiring that was negative in the first half of 2025.
“Early swings include strong work growth in January, a February tariff shock, and massive reactive work cuts in March,” Dragonfly said.
Employees at the entry level provided a pulse of cuts, facing lower salaries and reduced token packages, which were “partially offset by higher equity.”
The results can come as a surprise given by a strong crypto appeal to younger generations. Up to December 2024, around one-third, or 34% of the global crypto holders were in the age of 24 and 35, according to a Report by the Crypto payment company Triple-A.
Kevin Gibson, founder of the recruitment firm proof of the search, said the findings were aligned with his recent observations.
Timely Crypto staff returned to market after failed projects
“Despite the generally positive market and the success of many projects, there are many instances of projects that failed after their events in the token generation,” Gibson told Cointelegraph.
“This has resulted in many experienced professionals who re-enter the work market, providing companies to rent the advantage of selection from a pool of seasoned candidates,” he said.
Related: Crypto companies cover us with tenths in 2025 amid regulatory clarity
Gibson added that, with many expectations that the market will remain strong for at least another six months, the companies have doubled the senior talent to speed up project delivery.
“We had never returned to the recruitment landscape we saw in 2021, where candidates at the entry level with little experience were quickly selected,” he said.
Matt Thompson, founder of the TRB Executive Search, told Cointelegraph that when market conditions are desirable, crypto companies tend to rent, but start making disappearances in the falls.
Thompson said volatility itself could hinder younger candidates from entering the industry in the long run. “This instability can hinder students from chasing crypto races, especially compared to traditional banking, which is more likely to stretch the career.”
Magazine: Delayed
