The crypto industry directly employs 34,000 people in the United States and contributes $55 billion to the economy this year, according to a new report from the National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA) and the Pragmatic Policy Group (PPG). That makes crypto's direct workforce larger than the combined headcounts of cement manufacturing (15,300), tobacco manufacturing (10,600), and coffee and tea manufacturing (28,400). The report, released Wednesday, is the first comprehensive tally of crypto's economic footprint since the industry's post-2022 recovery.
Where the jobs are
California, New York, and Texas hold 60% of all U.S. crypto jobs. Washington and North Carolina round out the top five. But the concentration isn't as coastal as you might think. Heartland states — defined broadly as the Midwest and parts of the South — account for more than 17,000 crypto positions. That's half the total, spread across places that don't usually make crypto headlines.
The salary gap
The average crypto job pays $133,000 per year. That's more than double the national median of $64,000. It also beats other high-paying sectors: information and technology averages $104,000, and manufacturing averages $76,000. The report doesn't break down salaries by role, but the gap suggests crypto companies are competing hard for engineers, compliance officers, and business development talent.
The multiplier effect
Each direct crypto job supports six more jobs across the broader economy, the report finds. That brings total supported employment to 232,000 jobs in 2026. Supplier industries account for 75,000 of those positions, while worker spending adds another 123,000. Of the $55 billion total economic contribution, roughly $31 billion is worker income — money that flows into housing, retail, and local services.
The NCA commissioned the report from PPG, a nonpartisan research group, to give policymakers a concrete number. The association plans to use the data in its lobbying push for clearer federal crypto rules. A draft bill on market structure is expected to get a House vote this fall. The report doesn't endorse any specific legislation, but the message is hard to miss: 34,000 direct jobs and a $55 billion contribution is a lot of economic activity to leave in regulatory limbo.
