Messari layoffs accompany AI-first pivot and leadership change at crypto data firm

As the crypto data sector rapidly embraces artificial intelligence, messari layoffs are reshaping the company’s structure while it redefines its long-term strategy.

Leadership transition at Messari

Blockchain research and data firm Messari has announced a major leadership transition alongside a new staff reduction, underscoring a decisive shift toward artificial intelligence-driven products.

Eric Turner, who had served as interim CEO since July 2024, confirmed on Monday that he has stepped down from the role. Turner assumed the position after founder Ryan Selkis resigned following a series of controversial social media posts.

Moreover, Diran Li, Messari’s longtime chief technology officer, has been appointed the new CEO after more than seven years overseeing the firm’s technology stack. Li said the decision followed discussions with Turner and the company’s board of directors.

“After conversations with Eric and the board, we agreed this is the right step for the company’s next chapter,” Li wrote on X, emphasizing continuity in strategy despite the leadership change.

Fresh round of staff cuts

The executive shake-up coincided with a new reduction in headcount, adding to previous crypto company layoffs across the sector. Li acknowledged that the firm had conducted another round of cuts but declined to specify the number of employees affected.

“We have parted ways with many teammates who helped build Messari into what it is today,” Li said, describing the move as a difficult but necessary step for the business. That said, he framed the decision as part of a broader effort to align resources with the company’s evolving priorities.

Turner also commented on the staff reductions, calling it “a difficult day for the team” and signaling support for those impacted by the restructuring.

Messari previously laid off around 15% of its full-time staff in January 2025, following a similar cut in February 2023. This latest round marks the third time in recent years that the company has reduced headcount, highlighting how messari layoffs have tracked volatile market and technology cycles in crypto.

Pivot to an AI-first strategy

Li made clear that the latest restructuring is directly tied to a strategic overhaul. “Looking ahead, we are doubling down on Messari as an AI-first company serving institutions through research and AI products,” he stated.

The company, founded in 2018 as a crypto research and data provider, began integrating AI capabilities into its product suite in 2024. Moreover, Messari is positioning itself as an ai first crypto company that can deliver scalable analytics, risk tools, and market intelligence to professional investors.

Messari is widely known for its analytical reports on crypto asset sectors, market data tools, and for hosting its annual Mainnet conference in New York City. The event has become a key gathering for builders, investors, and policymakers within the digital asset industry.

That said, the latest pivot indicates that future product development will increasingly center on AI-powered research workflows, automation for institutional clients, and improved access to institutional crypto data.

Opening the Messari data layer to AI agents

In the week preceding the leadership announcement, Li revealed that Messari was opening its data layer to autonomous AI agents, signaling a deeper messari ai pivot from traditional dashboards to programmable, machine-driven access.

The firm has adopted the x402 protocol integration to make its institutional-grade crypto datasets available to developers and AI agents. Under this system, autonomous agents can independently source and pay for blockchain data using crypto wallets, reducing friction for on-chain analytics and automated research processes.

Moreover, by exposing the messari data layer to third-party agents, the company is betting that AI-driven demand for high-quality, structured blockchain information will grow as trading, compliance, and risk systems become more automated.

Industry-wide shift toward AI and efficiency

The move by Messari mirrors changes at other tech and digital asset firms that are also restructuring around AI while cutting costs. In the broader market, Block, founded by Jack Dorsey, cut nearly 4,000 jobs last month, citing an AI-focused reorganization among other factors.

Similarly, OP Labs, the development firm behind the Optimism network, reduced its team by around 20% last week. However, executives there also framed the layoffs as part of a long-term push to prioritize core protocol development and automation.

Other crypto-native companies are expanding into AI infrastructure and services, including Core Scientific, Cipher Mining, MARA Holdings, Hut 8, and Galaxy Digital. These moves reflect a broader convergence between high-performance computing for blockchains and AI workloads.

That said, the speed and depth of each firm’s transition differ, with some focusing on data centers and others, like Messari, targeting analytics and research layers.

What comes next for Messari

Despite his departure from the chief executive role, Turner confirmed he will stay on as an advisor to the company. This arrangement suggests a degree of continuity in governance and institutional relationships during the handover to Li.

Moreover, Messari’s roadmap now appears centered on leveraging AI agents, scalable data infrastructure, and institutional research tools to differentiate itself in an increasingly crowded market for on-chain analytics.

As the firm navigates its third major headcount reduction since 2023, the combination of leadership change, strategic refocus, and technology investment will likely determine whether the latest messari layoffs and AI pivot position the company for renewed growth in the next cycle.