Bitget Research forecasts blockchain employment could match AI’s 1.5 million jobs by 2030, driven by MiCA regulations and Ethereum’s cost-cutting Dencun upgrade, with 20,000 new roles added in 2024.
Blockchain technology added 20,000 jobs in 2024 as Ethereum’s infrastructure breakthroughs and Europe’s MiCA framework catalyze enterprise adoption, narrowing the gap with AI’s dominant 1.5 million workforce, according to Bitget’s latest analysis.
Regulatory Catalysts Accelerate Blockchain Hiring
The European Banking Authority’s July 8 finalization of MiCA stablecoin reserve rules, requiring 1:1 liquidity coverage for EUR-backed assets, has triggered hiring sprees at compliance-focused fintechs. CoinDesk reports a 15% quarterly increase in blockchain developer roles, contrasting with declining crypto exchange positions.
Enterprise Adoption Fuels Infrastructure Innovation
IBM and Siemens’ July 10 joint blockchain solution for industrial supply chains, targeting 40% efficiency gains, exemplifies growing corporate demand. Ethereum’s Dencun upgrade enabled Optimism network to process 8.7M transactions at $0.02 average cost (July 5 data), down 95% from Q1 levels, making enterprise implementations financially viable.
AI Investment Gap Persists Despite Blockchain Momentum
While blockchain jobs grow through regulatory compliance, AI continues attracting massive funding – highlighted by Groq’s $300M Series C raise on July 9. LinkedIn data shows AI job postings growing 27% monthly versus blockchain’s 15% quarterly increase, underscoring persistent sector disparities.
Workforce Migration Patterns Emerge
Upwork reports 22% of AI engineers now pursuing blockchain certifications, drawn by MiCA’s standardization of roles. However, blockchain salaries remain 18% below AI counterparts according to Hired.com’s July survey, creating talent retention challenges.
Historical Context: From Mobile Payments to Distributed Ledgers
The current blockchain adoption wave mirrors China’s 2010s mobile payment revolution, where Alipay and WeChat Pay transformed commerce through standardized infrastructure. Similarly, MiCA’s regulatory clarity enables banks like Deutsche Bank and BBVA to develop interoperable blockchain solutions.
AI Growth Parallels Cloud Computing Boom
Today’s AI expansion follows patterns seen during 2015-2020 cloud infrastructure growth, when AWS and Azure drove 400% sector job increases. However, blockchain’s enterprise focus may lead to more stable, compliance-driven hiring compared to AI’s research-intensive model.
