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Protocol Labs, Chainalysis and Bittrex add to crypto layoff season

February 4, 2023 Coin Telegraph

Bittrex

Crypto execs suggested that the "extremely challenging" times forced them to cut jobs in order to “weather this extended" crypto winter.

Several crypto firms have made job cuts this week amid the ongoing crypto winter, retaining “impactful” employees as they prepare for a “longer downturn.”

At least 216 jobs were slashed between three crypto firms – open-source software laboratory Protocol Labs, blockchain data firm Chainalysis and U.S. cryptocurrency exchange Bittrex, with reductions of 89, 83 and 44 employees respectively.

Juan Benet, CEO of Protocol Labs, the parent company of Filecoin (FIL), announced the job cuts in a blog post on Feb. 3 stating that the company has had to focus its headcount “against the most impactful and business critical efforts.”

He stated that the company's decision to cut “89 roles,” approximately 21% of its workforce, was to ensure it is well positioned to “weather this extended winter.”

Benet suggested that the company must “prepare for a longer downturn,” given it has been an “extremely challenging” time for the crypto industry.

Meanwhile Bittrex employees were informed by CEO Richie Lai over email on Feb. 1 that the company has made a reduction to its workforce to “ensure the long-term viability" of the company.

The email was leaked via Twitter on Feb. 2, in which Lai stated that despite the leadership team “working aggressively” to reduce expenses and increase efficiencies over the last several months, the efforts have not produced the "results necessary."

Lai added that the market conditions have forced the company to reset their strategy and balance its “investments with the new economic environment.”

According to Washington State employment data on Feb. 2 it was revealed that Bittrex cut 83 jobs.

Maddie Kennedy, director of communications at Chainalysis, told Forbes on Feb. 1 that those “primarily in sales” at the company were let go, as 44 of its 900 employees, approximately 4.8% of the workforce, were slashed.

These layoffs come after news that at least 2,900 staff were cut across 14 crypto firms in January.

Coinbase had the largest layoffs amongst those firms, cutting 950 of its staff on Jan. 10.

Meanwhile competitor exchanges Crypto.com, Luno and Huobi had reductions of approximately 500, 330 and 320 staff respectively.

Cointelegraph reached out for comment from Protocol Labs, Chainalysis and Bittrex but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

UK’s FCA hints at why its given only 15% of crypto firms the regulatory nod

January 27, 2023 Coin Telegraph

anti-money laundering

The UK financial watchdog has received 300 crypto firm registration applications but has approved only 41 applicants.

Despite the plans to turn the region into a bustling crypto hub, the United Kingdom’s financial watchdog says it has given the all-clear to only 41 out of 300 crypto firm applications seeking regulatory approval to date.

The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) implemented the new cryptocurrency-focused regulations on Jan. 10, 2020, to supervise businesses operating in the sector and to ensure that they’re subject to the same anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CTF) regulations as firms in traditional financial markets.

A statement from the FCA has revealed that of the 265 applications that were "determined" a mere 15% of these applications were approved and registered, 74% of firms either refused or withdrew their application, while 11% were rejected. Another 35 applications are yet to be determined.

While the FCA didn’t expressly state the cause of d the rejected or withdrawn applications, it did provide feedback on “good and poor quality” applications.

Among the more complete applications included a detailed description of the firm’s business model, the roles and responsibilities of business partners and service providers, sources of liquidity, flow-of-funds charts, and an outline of the policies and systems set in place to manage risk, the report stated.

*A flowchart which helps firms understand whether they need to register with the FCA. Source: FCA*

Incomplete applications were more apparent where companies used the application to promote their products and services, particularly in cases when the application process was still ongoing:

“Applicants’ websites and marketing material must not include language that gives the impression that making an application for registration is a form of endorsement or recommendation by the FCA.”

The report suggests that some companies may have had their applications scrapped if they couldn’t show that they have sufficient blockchain-compliance resources set in place to monitor on-chain transactions.

The FCA also doubled down on its anti-money laundering stance, demanding that all firms appoint a money laundering reporting officer who is “fully involved” in the application process.

The FCA also stressed that even for those firms that had their registrations approved, such approval doesn’t mean that they’re no longer free from obligations:

"Applicants must recognize that being registered is not a one-off formality or a tick-box exercise without any further obligations or interaction with the FCA.”

"This feedback should help applicants when they prepare their application for registration and help make the process as simple and efficient as possible," the note summarized.

Among the digital asset firms to have registered under the FCA thus far include Crypto.com, Revolut, CEX.IO, eToro, Wintermute Trading, DRW Global Markets, Copper, Globalblock, Moneybrain and Zodia Markets.

Given that many companies provide international services, the U.K. FCA also confirmed that they’re now collaborating with other state agencies around the world — most notably the U.S. securities regulator and the U.S. commodities regulator — in order to strengthen regulation where necessary.

The FCA has stressed on several occasions that failure to register before conducting business may result in criminal charges.

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