According to Bloomberg, US crypto companies offer significantly higher compensation packages than their overseas rivals. A report shows that US crypto salaries exceed wages abroad by 13% on average, and equity and token incentive packages are 30% higher. Tokens linked to crypto projects can be part of compensation, somewhat like share options. However, US crypto startups are less likely to issue such tokens than digital-asset businesses elsewhere. The report found that 11% of crypto firms in the US had launched a token, compared with 38% of international firms. This is likely linked to the US regulatory environment.
Dragonfly's report provided a window onto salaries for different roles within crypto firms. A founder can earn $300,000 when their company reaches a Series C stage funding round. An engineer at the executive level can get paid as much as $283,000 a year, not including equity and token grants. The findings are based on a 2023 survey of 49 startups backed by Dragonfly. The authors suggest the results "indicate trends rather than definitive sector-wide practices."
The survey also found that the majority of companies, both in the US and overseas, pay staff in fiat currencies, while international firms are slightly more likely to pay workers in crypto. The digital-asset industry suffered cutbacks following a deep market downturn.