Web3 hiring in Q4 showed an 80% year-over-year increase but dipped 13% on a quarter basis, with U.S. election impacts lagging behind seasonal trends.

In Q4 2024, crypto companies added 788 jobs, up from 436 in Q4 2023, though hiring slowed from Q3’s 902 roles, with a small boost in November and election-driven shifts expected in the first half of 2025, says Zackary Skelly, head of talent at Dragonfly Capital.

In an X thread on Feb. 25, Skelly said the venture capital firm saw the “standard seasonal dip” with candidates “mostly networking vs actively applying.” Despite the dip, interest in crypto remains high, with international talent increasingly looking to the U.S., Skelly claims.

Web2 engineers still keep trying to relocate to the web3 space, but “most have been harder to convert,” Skelly explained.

“Web2 engineers keep testing web3 waters, but most have been harder to convert. Top IC [individual contributor] talent is still wary of early-stage, and lots of non-tech folks are on the market after pivots/layoffs, prioritizing stability.”

Zackary Skelly

Most roles grew year-over-year, but hiring slowed across the board in Q4, except for technical program management roles, data compiled by Skelly shows. Legal, compliance, and recruiting surged as firms prepared for regulation and growth.

Skelly suggests keeping passive candidates engaged, optimizing for non-tech hires, and refining token-based offers, adding that “policy shifts may hit fast.” As for key areas to watch, Skelly points to intersection of artificial intelligence and crypto, alternative layer-1 networks and U.S. policy developments.