Ethereum layer-2 developer OP Labs cuts roles to 'narrow focus'

• OP Labs laid off 20 employees as part of a restructuring its CEO said was aimed at narrowing its strategic focus, stressing that the move reflects a refocus on core priorities rather than concerns about financial runway.
• The company said it informed affected staff internally before announcing the move publicly, and encouraged other teams in the crypto ecosystem to reach out about hiring the departing employees.

OP Labs, the main developer firm supporting the Optimism ecosystem, has laid off 20 employees as part of an internal restructuring aimed at sharpening the organization’s strategic focus, according to a message shared by the group's leadership.

In a post on X, CEO of OP Labs Jing Wang said the decision followed internal discussions with affected staff and was communicated to employees before being disclosed publicly. The company said the layoffs were driven by a need to “narrow our focus,” rather than financial constraints.

“This is not about finances,” she said in a Slack message she shared alongside her post. "OP Labs is well capitalized with years of runway."

Instead, she suggested that the move was intended to streamline decision-making and "do fewer things ... exceptionally well."

The OP token is down roughly 3% over the last 24 hours.

OP Labs plays a central role in the development of Optimism, an Ethereum layer-2 scaling network designed to make transactions faster and cheaper by processing activity off the Ethereum main chain. The broader Optimism ecosystem now includes several high-profile chains built on its technology stack, including Coinbase’s Base, Uniswap’s Unichain and Sony’s Soneium.

CoinDesk reached out to OP Labs for comment and to clarify the percentage of staff that was laid off.

Read more: Optimism's OP token falls after Base moves away from the network's 'OP stack' in major tech shift

• Investors in Goliath Ventures have filed a proposed class action in federal court in Northern California accusing JPMorgan Chase of enabling a $328 million crypto Ponzi scheme by ignoring clear warning signs.
• The complaint alleges JPMorgan was Goliath’s sole bank, processing about $253 million in deposits between January 2023 and June 2025 and facilitating transfers to Coinbase and purported investor returns that should have revealed the fraud.
• The suit cites the recent arrest of Goliath operator Christopher Alexander Delgado on wire fraud and money laundering charges and argues that JPMorgan’s role contradicts CEO Jamie Dimon’s public criticism of cryptocurrencies.

Disclosure & Polices: CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk has adopted a set of principles aimed at ensuring the integrity, editorial independence and freedom from bias of its publications. CoinDesk is part of Bullish (NYSE:BLSH), an institutionally focused global digital asset platform that provides market infrastructure and information services. Bullish owns and invests in digital asset businesses and digital assets and CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive Bullish equity-based compensation.