A leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company has released a report that suggests that blockchain technology remains a sleeping giant with the potential to reshape global job markets on a similar or even greater scale.
The analysis, by Bitget, reveals that while blockchain’s current job market trails AI’s explosive growth, the sector could unlock over 1 million new roles by 2030, rivaling AI’s hiring boom if adoption accelerates across industries like finance, healthcare, and logistics.
Today, the blockchain sector supports an estimated 15,000–20,000 active job listings globally, with demand concentrated in North America (40%), Asia-Pacific (35%), and Europe (20%). By comparison, AI boasts over 1 million job openings, fueled by decades of corporate investment and regulatory support.
Yet blockchain’s projected 500,000 jobs by 2028, while impressive, hints at only a fraction of its potential. Experts argue that mimicking AI’s growth catalysts, such as enterprise adoption and regulatory clarity, could propel blockchain into a hiring boom. For instance, the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation and corporate pilots by firms like JPMorgan (Onyx) and Visa (USDC integration) are already signaling a shift toward institutional acceptance.
The report highlights scalability and education as critical hurdles. Just as AI relies on advances in computing power, blockchain needs layer-2 solutions like Arbitrum and Ethereum upgrades to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
Meanwhile, universities are beginning to integrate blockchain into curricula, mirroring the early days of AI academia. Yet funding remains a gap: AI startups attracted over 100 billion in venture capital in 2023, while blockchain ventures secured just 25 billion. Closing this gap, the analysis suggests, could accelerate blockchain’s integration into sectors like supply chain logistics and healthcare, where projects by Microsoft and IBM are already laying the groundwork.
If blockchain follows AI’s path, salaries for specialized roles, already averaging $115,000-$191,000, could surpass $250,000, rivaling top AI engineers at firms like OpenAI. Such growth would demand a seismic shift in talent development, including blockchain-focused degrees and boot camps to meet surging demand. Countries with proactive policies, such as Singapore, could emerge as hiring hubs, much like Silicon Valley did for AI.
Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget, remarked:
“Blockchain is where AI was a decade ago—a technology brimming with potential but awaiting its ‘big bang’ moment. With the right mix of regulation, education, and enterprise adoption, it could redefine global employment landscapes.”
