Key Highlights
- U.S. crypto industry directly employs 34,000 people and supports 232,000 jobs in total.
- Crypto is expected to contribute more than $55 billion to the U.S. economy in 2026.
- California and New York lead the U.S. in crypto-supported jobs, with 57,649 and 53,766 jobs, respectively.
The U.S. crypto industry is supporting far more jobs than those directly employed by crypto companies, according to a report from the National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA).
The report, released on Wednesday and prepared by the Pragmatic Policy Group (PPG), estimates that the industry directly employs 34,000 people and supports 232,000 jobs across the U.S. economy in 2026 through suppliers. It also estimates that crypto will add more than $55 billion to the U.S. economy in 2026, with about $31 billion expected to flow to workers as income.
The findings suggest the industry’s economic impact extends beyond crypto exchanges, blockchain firms, and other businesses directly involved in digital assets.
Crypto supports jobs beyond the industry
According to the report, about 34,000 of the 232,000 jobs are direct from crypto, while another 75,000 jobs are supported by companies that supply goods and services to the crypto industry. A further 123,000 jobs are linked to household spending by workers in both groups.
In other words, crypto companies hire workers, purchase goods and services from suppliers, and the resulting income supports spending across other sectors of the economy.
How the jobs impact is calculated
PPG used a standard economic model to estimate these wider effects. The report also noted the 232,000 figure does not mean crypto companies directly employ all of those workers.
The jobs connected to the industry cover a wide range of work. Office and administrative support is the largest group, with 29,260 jobs. Business and financial operations follow with 21,650 jobs, while management accounts for 20,890. Transportation and material-moving jobs total 18,560, and food preparation and serving adds another 16,910.
Crypto-linked jobs span different types of work
Among the 34,000 direct crypto jobs, technology roles make up the biggest group. Software, blockchain and data engineering account for 10,100 positions. Compliance, finance and business operations account for 5,450, while executives and managers make up 5,100. The report also estimates that workers across all 232,000 supported jobs earn an average annual wage of $133,000, which is above the national median wage of $64,000.
However, the report stresses that the $133,000 figure covers the entire group of supported jobs, including roles in areas such as food service, delivery and janitorial work. It is not the average salary of direct crypto employees alone.
California and New York lead in supported jobs
The report says California leads the nation with 57,649 crypto-supported jobs.
New York follows with 53,766, while Texas has 26,536, Washington has 15,097, and North Carolina has 9,524. The 12 states classified by PPG as the Heartland support more than 17,000 jobs combined.
The report also points to economic activity beyond financial services. It estimates that crypto supports $3.6 billion in professional services and $3 billion in housing. Colorado accounts for 5,797 supported jobs and $1.3 billion in economic contribution, while North Dakota supports 813 jobs and $154 million.
PPG used economic data to measure the impact
PPG said it based its analysis on 2024 input-output tables from the Bureau of Economic Analysis and a $23.22 billion crypto industry revenue figure from Statista.
Since crypto is not listed as its own industry in the BEA system, PPG placed crypto activity into existing sectors such as securities and commodity contracts, credit intermediation, and data processing.
PPG also said the occupational breakdown is based on a model because there is no dedicated profile showing the exact makeup of the crypto workforce. The NCA, which launched in 2025, commissioned and funded the research, while the report says PPG conducted the analysis independently.
“Each direct crypto job generates around six additional roles across the broader economy,” said Oliver Browne, PPG’s chief economist, who led the study.
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