Key Takeaways:
- Block has been cutting off nearly 4,000 employees, bringing total staff from more than 10,000 down to only less than 6,000.
- According to Jack Dorsey, AI tools allow the company to maintain a lean staff and flat structure without destroying growth momentum.
- This restructuring move happens in the context that crypto and alternative payment systems are putting pressure on profit margin of traditional fintech companies.
Block is making one of the most dramatic workforce reductions in recent fintech history. CEO Jack Dorsey confirmed the company will reduce headcount by nearly half, positioning artificial intelligence at the center of its next phase. The move signals a structural shift in how fintech companies operate as crypto rails and AI-driven commerce accelerate.
we’re making @blocks smaller today. here’s my note to the company.
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today we’re making one of the hardest decisions in the history of our company: we’re reducing our organization by nearly half, from over 10,000 people to just under 6,000. that means over 4,000 of you are…
— jack (@jack) February 26, 2026
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AI at the Core of Block’s Reset
Dorsey told employees that the company implements the elimination not because of getting financial difficulty. The gross profit is increasing, customer number is growing and profitability is also improving. Instead of that, he indicates that this decision stems from quick productivity transformation thanks to internal AI systems.
According to Dorsey, new “intelligence tools” combining with leaner teams have changed basically the way developing and operating products. Instead of reducing employees gradually over many years, he chooses to implement a single and decisive elimination time.
Block will reduce its workforce from more than 10,000 employees to just under 6,000. Over 4,000 staff are affected. Impacted employees will receive 20 weeks of salary plus one additional week per year of tenure, equity vesting through the end of May, six months of healthcare coverage, company devices, and $5,000 in transition support.
Dorsey emphasized that communication channels would remain open temporarily so employees could say goodbye properly.
Crypto Rails and Margin Compression
Block has large-scale fintech business ventures such as Square and Cash App that are firmly entrenched in the digital payments market. The restart coincides with other changes in the payment infrastructure.
The blockchain settlements and stablecoins become increasingly popular. Merchants are charged 2-3% per swipe through card networks, whereas stablecoin operations can be transferred, virtually immediately, at a minimal charge. Cheap rails become even cooler with the assistance of AI agents, which expedite payments and make them cheaper.
With AI-powered purchases gaining traction, routing might prefer blockchain settlements that are near free. That threatens the economics of legacy payment stacks fintech firms rely on. Block has long embraced Bitcoin and crypto integration through Cash App and its mining initiatives. A smaller structure may allow it to adapt faster as on-chain payment flows expand.
