Circle Announces Layoffs; to Reduce Investments in Non-core Activities

<p>Circle, the company behind the <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/terms/s/stablecoin/">stablecoin</a> USD Coin (USDC),
has announced that it is reducing staff and cutting investments in non-core
business activities. At the same time, the company is reportedly identifying
new investment opportunities and hiring staff in its core businesses.</p><p>Circle Joins Crypto
Firms in Cutting Staff</p><p>Circle joins a growing list of cryptocurrency firms that
have recently reduced their staff to cut expenses and boost their balance
sheets. Coinbase, Kraken, Gemini, and Bybit are some of the companies that have announced similar steps.</p><p>Jeremy Fox-Geen,
Circle's Chief Finance Officer, told the Wall Street Journal early this year
that the company plans to increase its workforce by as much as 25%. At the end
of last year, Circle had approximately 900 employees, the media publication
reported.</p><p>"We are growing and
investing, and we are fortunate to be in a financial position to sustain our
investments," Fox-Geen told the Wall Street Journal. "We have slowed
down growth prudentially and are focused on what matters most."</p><p>Focusing on Global
Expansion</p><p>Circle is focusing on expanding its presence globally,
especially in Asia. The company announced in June that it had <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/circle-singapore-gains-mas-approval-for-digital-payments-service/" target="_blank" rel="follow">obtained
a Major Payment Institution (MPI) license</a> from the Monetary Authority of Singapore
(MAS). The license was issued to the company's subsidiary based in Singapore, Circle
Internet Singapore Pte. Ltd (Circle Singapore), Finance Magnates reported.</p><p>With the new license,
Circle is permitted to offer digital payment services, cross-border payments,
and domestic money transfers. Commenting about the approval,
Jeremy Allaire, Circle's Co-Founder and CEO, said that Singapore was important
to the company's global expansion.</p><p><a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/after-binance-sec-sues-coinbase-over-illegal-operation-of-crypto-exchange/" target="_blank">Finance
Magnates</a> reported in
June that the US affiliate of Binance, Binance.US, had <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/binanceus-reportedly-laid-off-dozens-of-staff-amid-sec-lawsuit/" target="_blank">laid
off dozens</a> of staff
from its legal, <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/terms/c/compliance/">compliance</a>, and risk departments. On top of that, Binance, the
global cryptocurrency exchange, reportedly laid off 20% of its 8,000 employees.</p><p>The trend of job cuts has been rising in the digital asset space, partly exacerbated by the
regulatory challenges experienced by some of the major exchanges. For instance, Binance
and Coinbase are <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/after-binance-sec-sues-coinbase-over-illegal-operation-of-crypto-exchange/" target="_blank">facing
charges</a> brought against
them by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).</p>

This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.