AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT KRAKEN

San Francisco, California-based Kraken, a United States–based cryptocurrency exchange, has announced another restructuring, the appointment of a new co-chief executive, and a 15% percent reduction in force.

The reduction will impact approximately 400 employees.

Co-CEO Arjun Sethi AND co-CEO Dave Ripley blogged, "To continue forging our path ahead and put Kraken in contention to become the largest crypto platform in the world, we need to be leaner and faster. We are making organizational discipline decisions to tackle this problem and eliminate layers. The next chapter of Kraken starts today”

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT COINBASE

Coinbase, which functions as a virtual company with no physical headquarters using remote employees, a cryptocurrency exchange platform, is implementing a restructuring plan with the goal of reducing operating expenses.

The cost-reduction initiative impacts approximately 950 employees and is expected to be substantially complete by the second quarter of 2023.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong noted...

"In 2022, the crypto market trended downwards along with the broader macroeconomy. We also saw the fallout from unscrupulous actors in the industry, and there could still be further contagion... In the face of increasingly challenging economic conditions, we made the difficult decision to further reduce the size of our teams to ensure we have the appropriate operational efficiency to weather downturns in the crypto market and capture opportunities that may emerge."

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT SILVERGATE FINANCIAL

MARCH 8, 2023 — SILVERGATE BANK TO BE SHUT DOWN

Silvergate Capital Corporation Announces Intent to Wind Down Operations and Voluntarily Liquidate Silvergate Bank

Silvergate Capital Corporation, the holding company for Silvergate Bank, today announced its intent to wind down operations and voluntarily liquidate the Bank in an orderly manner and in accordance with applicable regulatory processes.

In light of recent industry and regulatory developments, Silvergate believes that an orderly wind-down of Bank operations and a voluntary liquidation of the Bank is the best path forward. The Bank’s wind-down and liquidation plan includes full repayment of all deposits. The Company is also considering how best to resolve claims and preserve the residual value of its assets, including its proprietary technology and tax assets.

In connection with the above: Centerview Partners LLC is acting as a financial advisor, Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP is acting as a legal advisor and Strategic Risk Associates is providing transition project management assistance.

In addition, Silvergate Bank made a decision to discontinue the Silvergate Exchange Network, which it announced on March 3, 2023, on its public website. All other deposit-related services remain operational as the Company works through the wind-down process. Customers will be notified should there be any further changes.

JANUARY 10, 2023 — Original post…

La Jolla, California-based Silvergate Capital, the holding company for Silvergate Bank which focuses on providing a payment network and other services to institutions in the virtual-currency industry, has announced a major reduction in force following major disruptions in the crypto-currency market leading to the loss of customer confidence.

The company's cost-containment initiative will target approximately 40% of the workforce, an estimated 200 employees.

According to CEO Alan Lane, "Significant overleverage in the industry has led to several high-profile bankruptcies and sparked a crisis of confidence across the entire digital asset ecosystem.

In addition to its crypto-related business, the bank announced in December 2022 that it was winding down its mortgage warehouse lending business due to the rising interest rate environment and reduction in mortgage volumes.

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?