Blockworks has seen at least seven staff members announce their departures as the crypto data company prioritizes product development, with one departing analyst questioning the move away from independent research.
Summary
- Seven departure announcements surfaced across posts spanning October and November, including research and product staff.
- Jake Koch-Gallup questioned the company’s decision to prioritize products over independent crypto research.
- Blockworks opened its MCP service to everyone on Nov. 3, offering $100 in credits.
- The company published the final edition of its 0xResearch newsletter on Nov. 6.
According to departure posts shared on X, the employees leaving include Jake Koch-Gallup, Nick Carpinito, Kunal Doshi, Silvio Busonero, Westie, Nikhil, and AJC.
The announcements span several weeks. Nikhil’s post is dated Oct. 19, while Westie and Doshi posted on Nov. 5, followed by Koch-Gallup and Carpinito on Nov. 6. Several described the week as their last at the company without giving an exact departure date.
Blockworks departures include founding research member
Among the departing employees, Westie described being part of the founding cohort of the research team before building and scaling its data operation.
His work later expanded into products, which he said had become the company’s primary focus this year and beyond. Westie described product development positively, saying he enjoyed building the company’s offerings and working in those roles.
Koch-Gallup offered a different perspective. After two years at Messari and another six months at Blockworks following the acquisition, he thanked colleagues and expressed disappointment with the company’s direction.
“It’s sad to see one of the leading crypto research firms shift its focus away from research,” he wrote.
Although he understood the decision to prioritize products, Koch-Gallup said independent research remained valuable, particularly as AI made original human thinking and analysis increasingly important.
His comments addressed the company’s priorities, while other departing employees focused on their experiences and plans. The posts did not describe a coordinated resignation or identify a shared reason for leaving.
Departing staff describe their work and next steps
In his announcement, Carpinito said he joined in early 2025 and watched Blockworks acquire Messari, launch a new product suite, and develop the Token Transparency Framework.
He described the framework’s progression from an idea into a disclosure standard reaching Bloomberg terminals.
Doshi thanked colleagues and said his time working with protocols had shaped his understanding of research. Over the previous year, he had come to view a good research paper as a way of telling a story.
AJC said his departure followed four years at Messari and six months at Blockworks. He planned to spend the following weeks resting before deciding what to do next.
After more than two years at the company, Nikhil thanked the team and said he intended to remain a regular platform user. Busonero’s shorter announcement expressed gratitude to colleagues and enthusiasm for his next chapter.
Blockworks MCP opened to everyone on Nov. 3
The departures coincided with an expansion of access to the company’s AI data service.
In its Nov. 3 announcement, Blockworks said anyone could connect its data to Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or another MCP client, with new accounts receiving $100 in credits.
The service had already launched for API customers on Oct. 1. The November announcement opened access beyond that initial customer group.
According to the company, users can ask questions about protocol revenue, stablecoin growth, and upcoming token unlocks using the standardized data behind its research and Blockworks Intel.
Its October product description listed institutional uses, including preparing token-listing materials for exchanges, monitoring listed assets, and compiling counterparty information before onboarding a crypto business.
The company described stock-related applications too, including tracking tokenized shares alongside the underlying stock price, supply, holders, and decentralized-exchange trading volume.
Messari acquisition preceded the latest product expansion
Blockworks acquired Messari on June 12, bringing together their research, data, and market intelligence operations.
In the acquisition announcement, co-founder Jason Yanowitz said Messari covered more than 40,000 assets. Its API supplied information on markets, exchanges, stablecoins, protocols, fundraising, token unlocks, and other crypto activity.
As previously reported, Blockworks had secured a $192 million valuation before the transaction.
The acquisition announcement identified asset issuers and the investors, exchanges, custodians, brokerages, and regulators reviewing those assets as its two main customer groups.
On Nov. 6, Blockworks published a newsletter titled “Signing off”, identifying it as the final edition of 0xResearch.
