Crypto Industry Supports 34,000 Direct US Jobs and $55 Billion in Economic Output, Report Says
Key Takeaways
- •The report estimates that the cryptocurrency industry directly supports 34,000 US jobs in 2026.
- •Crypto-related jobs pay an average of $133,000 annually, compared with a national median wage of $64,000.
- •The industry’s total economic contribution is estimated at $55 billion, including about $31 billion in worker income.
- •Including direct, indirect, and induced effects, crypto supports an estimated 232,000 jobs across the US economy.
- •California, New York, and Texas account for 60% of US crypto employment, followed by Washington and North Carolina.
The cryptocurrency industry directly supports 34,000 jobs and contributes $55 billion to the US economy in 2026, according to a new report from the National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA).
The NCA commissioned the study from the Pragmatic Policy Group (PPG). The report compares crypto employment with several established US industries and estimates the sector’s wider direct, indirect, and induced economic effects, a framing intended to capture not only company payrolls but also supply-chain activity and spending by workers.
Crypto Employment Compared With Other Industries
The report says crypto’s 34,000 direct workers exceed employment in coffee and tea manufacturing, which supports 28,400 jobs.
The comparison is larger against several other manufacturing categories. According to the report, crypto employment is higher than cement manufacturing, at 15,300 jobs, and tobacco manufacturing, at 10,600 jobs.
The report also estimates the average crypto-related job pays $133,000 a year, more than twice the national median of $64,000. It places that average above other high-paying sectors cited in the study, including information and technology at $104,000 and manufacturing at $76,000.
Of the cryptocurrency industry’s estimated $55 billion total economic contribution in 2026, roughly $31 billion is worker income, the report says.
Broader Economic Footprint
The study also evaluates the industry’s indirect effects across the US economy. It finds that every direct crypto job supports six additional jobs elsewhere in the economy, bringing total supported employment to 232,000 jobs in 2026.
That total includes direct, indirect, and induced jobs rather than only employees on crypto company payrolls. Supplier industries account for 75,000 roles, while spending by workers supports another 123,000 jobs. This distinction matters because the report’s headline employment figure and total supported employment measure different things: one counts direct crypto roles, while the other includes broader economic activity linked to the sector.
The geographic distribution of crypto employment remains concentrated. California, New York, and Texas account for 60% of US crypto jobs, followed by Washington and North Carolina. Heartland states account for more than 17,000 positions.
Overall, the report says crypto’s economic activity now reaches beyond trading and includes wages, supplier industries, and household spending across the United States.
