The most in-demand companies in crypto right now aren’t necessarily the loudest. Trust me—I’ve been neck-deep in blockchain recruitment for years, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the real movers in this space often operate with a whisper, not a bang.
I remember back in 2018, I was helping a mid-sized Layer 1 project fill out their engineering team. Everyone wanted to work for the big dogs—Ethereum Foundation, ConsenSys, maybe even Ripple. But one of the devs I placed took a chance on a stealth-mode startup. Fast forward a few years, and that startup? It turned into one of the most talked-about DeFi protocols of 2021. That dev’s equity? Let’s just say he doesn’t need to check his bank account anymore.
So yeah, when people ask me where the hottest blockchain jobs are, I don’t just point to who’s hiring—I look at who’s building, pivoting, and quietly scooping up all the best talent.
Let’s talk about who’s really worth watching in 2025.
AI + Blockchain Startups Are Hiring Like Mad
AI is eating the internet—and blockchain is serving the main course.
One of the most in-demand companies I’ve worked with recently is a startup building decentralised AI compute infrastructure. Think of it like Airbnb for GPUs. Instead of training your models on Amazon’s expensive cloud servers, you tap into a decentralised network of idle machines across the globe.
These companies are aggressively hiring—not just devs, but also ops folks, community managers, and even governance experts. One project I recently recruited for had poached half its core team from traditional AI labs. Why? Because blockchain-native infrastructure is where the next wave of AI training is headed, and they want people who can bridge both worlds.
Personal tip: if you’ve got even a whisper of AI experience in your blockchain CV, polish it up. You’re gold dust right now.
Layer 2s Are Scaling Up—and Fast
We used to joke that Ethereum was a victim of its own success. Gas fees through the roof, network congestion, and a never-ending stream of “ETH killer” headlines. But now? Layer 2s are winning.
The most in-demand companies in this niche aren’t just building the tech—they’re staffing entire teams around ecosystem growth. I’ve seen roles open up for ecosystem leads, integration specialists, even full-time dev rels who do nothing but support projects launching on their chain.
Optimism, Arbitrum, Base—each of these has quietly become a powerhouse recruiter. And they’re not just looking for the usual suspects. They want hybrid talent—people who understand the dev side, but also know how to handle business development, partnership strategy, and even marketing.
Oh, and if you’re fluent in zero-knowledge proofs? You can practically name your salary.
Enterprise Blockchain Is Back (But Less Boring)
Remember when “enterprise blockchain” made everyone’s eyes glaze over? Not anymore.
The most in-demand companies in this sector are finally doing something interesting—integrating with real-world assets and compliance frameworks in a way that doesn’t feel like a glorified spreadsheet. I’ve placed folks into roles at newer fintech-meets-blockchain firms that are tokenising everything from bonds to supply chains, and they’re doing it in a way that actually… works.
One of my favourite placements was a smart contract dev who left a DeFi gig to join a company working with cross-border payments using blockchain rails. Two years ago, he would’ve laughed at the idea. Now? He’s leading a team and helping banks finally understand what composability means.
Don’t sleep on this sector—it’s growing quietly but steadily, and it needs people who can navigate both crypto-native thinking and legacy systems.
DePIN Projects Are Building (and Hiring) in the Background
Decentralised Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN) might not be a dinner party topic—yet—but they’re shaping up to be the next DeFi-sized trend. Projects that incentivise users to contribute to physical infrastructure (like wireless networks, energy grids, or even sensor data) are picking up steam.
I’ve worked with a few of these lately, and the roles are fascinating. You’ve got everything from firmware engineers to community organisers to supply chain managers with tokenomics knowledge. It’s like the wild west meets high tech.
And yes—The most in-demand companies in DePIN tend to fly under the radar. But if you can talk hardware, decentralisation, and real-world utility in the same sentence? You’re already ahead of 90% of the talent pool.
So… Where Should You Be Looking?
Good question.
If you’re job hunting, here’s what I always recommend:
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Follow the money. Who just raised a big round? Who’s backed by serious names in the space? Where are the investors betting?
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Ignore the hype, watch the hires. Some of the flashiest projects are barely hiring. Others, with hardly any social media presence, are quietly staffing 30-person teams.
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Use your network. Honestly, half the best gigs I help people land never make it to job boards. They come from referrals, backchannels, and DMs.
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Be multi-disciplinary. The most in-demand companies want T-shaped people—deep expertise in one area, but broad understanding across others. If you’re a dev, learn how governance works. If you’re in marketing, understand the tech.
Talent Is the Scarce Asset
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in crypto recruitment, it’s this: tokens rise and fall, markets go boom and bust, but good talent? That’s always in demand.
The most in-demand companies aren’t just hiring—they’re competing for the same small pool of great people. If you’re one of them, don’t sell yourself short. And if you’re looking to become one of them? Now’s the time to invest in your skills, your network, and your story.
Blockchain might still be finding its footing in the mainstream, but behind the scenes, the builders are busy—and they’re hiring like mad.
