Messari CEO steps down alongside mass layoffs in AI pivot

Crypto market data platform Messari announced that CEO Eric Turner is stepping down, and the company has conducted layoffs as it pivots to focus on AI.

On Monday, Messari Chief Technology Officer Diran Li wrote on X that Turner has stepped down and that he would assume the CEO role following discussions with the company's board of directors. 

Turner also confirmed the transition in a social media post, stating that he will remain an advisor to the company. Turner took the helm in 2024, succeeding founder Ryan Selkis, who resigned following a series of controversial posts on X.

Meanwhile, the leadership change was accompanied by a reduction in headcount.

"This transition also includes a difficult decision: we’ve parted ways with many teammates who helped build Messari into what it is today," Li wrote. Li did not disclose the exact number of employees impacted by the layoff. The Block has reached out to Li for further information.

Several other crypto companies have recently conducted layoffs. Last week, Optimism developer OP Labs announced that it has cut around 20% of its team to sharpen its focus on fewer priorities. Last month, Jack Dorsey's Block Inc. said it was cutting nearly 4,000 jobs, while Gemini laid off 25% of its staff to focus on its U.S. operations.

Focusing on AI

Li explained that the restructuring is intended to position Messari as an "AI-first" company that serves institutional clients through research and AI-driven products — a rationale similar to what Block Inc. cited for its roughly 40% workforce reduction last month.

Founded in 2018, Messari is a blockchain research firm known for publishing analytical reports on emerging crypto sectors, providing market data, and hosting its annual Mainnet conference in New York City.

Note: Messari is a competitor of The Block.