2026 Global Hiring Report
06 February, 2026
Summary
After several years of caution, 2026 marks a shift back to execution across Web3, crypto, and AI. Capital is returning, regulation is clearer, and institutions are moving from testing to full-scale deployment. Hiring is picking up again, with strong demand for experienced talent who can operate in regulated, technical, and commercial environments.
After three years of reset and caution, 2026 marks a clear shift back to execution across Web3, crypto, and AI. Capital is returning, regulation is clearer, and institutional players are moving from experimentation to production. Hiring is becoming more competitive again, not through volume, but through demand for proven operators who can deliver under regulatory, technical, and commercial pressure.
Key takeaways from our 2026 Global Hiring Report:
- Global VC funding rebounded from ~$368bn in 2024 to an estimated ~$469bn in 2025, a ~27% year-on-year increase.
- Stablecoins processed over $30tn in transaction volume in 2025, reinforcing their role as core financial infrastructure.
- Hiring demand is shifting toward senior, execution-ready talent, with compliance, infrastructure, and institutional GTM profiles most in demand.
- Compensation pressure is returning selectively, with scarce leadership and regulated-delivery roles seeing 15–25% uplifts.