Blockworks’ push into AI-driven products has been accompanied by a flurry of departures from its research and data ranks: at least seven staffers have announced they’re leaving the crypto data company in recent weeks, underscoring a shift in priorities that some former employees view with mixed feelings. Who left - Jake Koch-Gallup - Nick Carpinito - Kunal Doshi - Silvio Busonero - Westie (formerly part of Blockworks’ research founding cohort) - Nikhil - AJC Timeline and signals The exits were shared on X across several weeks. Nikhil’s post was dated Oct. 19; Westie and Doshi posted on Nov. 5; Koch-Gallup and Carpinito posted on Nov. 6. Several announcements described “the week” as the employees’ last without specifying exact dates. Blockworks also published a newsletter on Nov. 6 titled “Signing off,” identified as the final edition of 0xResearch — a symbolic moment for the firm’s research output. Why they left (and what they said) - Westie, who helped found the research team and later scaled its data operation, said his role increasingly moved into product work. He framed that transition positively, saying he enjoyed building and scaling the company’s product offerings. - Jake Koch-Gallup — who had previously spent two years at Messari and six months at Blockworks after the acquisition — expressed disappointment that Blockworks is “shifting its focus away from research.” He acknowledged the business logic of prioritizing products but argued that independent research still matters, especially as AI increases the premium on original human analysis. - Other departing staffers posted warm farewells and plans for what’s next: Carpinito recounted joining in early 2025 and watching Blockworks acquire Messari, launch a new product suite, and develop the Token Transparency Framework; Doshi said working with protocols had shaped his view of research as storytelling; AJC said he planned to rest after four years at Messari and six months at Blockworks; Nikhil said he intends to remain a regular platform user; Busonero gave a shorter thank-you note and said he’s excited for what’s next. No sign of a coordinated walkout — the posts did not indicate a single shared reason for leaving — but the timing aligns with a strategic product push. The product pivot: AI data access and new use cases The departures have coincided with Blockworks widening access to its AI data service. On Nov. 3 the company said anyone could connect Blockworks’ data to Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or another MCP client, with new accounts receiving $100 in credits. The offering had already been available to API customers since Oct. 1; the November announcement expanded access beyond that initial customer group. Blockworks says users can query standardized data behind its research and Blockworks Intel for questions about protocol revenue, stablecoin growth, and upcoming token unlocks. An October product brief outlined institutional use cases such as: - Preparing token-listing materials for exchanges - Monitoring listed assets and compiling counterparty information for on-boarding - Tracking tokenized shares alongside the underlying stock price, supply, holders, and decentralized-exchange trading volume Messari deal and company context Blockworks acquired Messari on June 12, folding Messari’s research, data, and market intelligence into its operations. At the time, co-founder Jason Yanowitz said Messari covered more than 40,000 assets and its API provided markets, exchange, stablecoin, protocol, fundraising, and token-unlock data. Blockworks had been valued at roughly $192 million before the acquisition. The company has framed two primary customer groups for the combined offering: asset issuers, and the investors/exchanges/custodians/brokerages/regulators that review those assets. Bottom line Blockworks is rapidly shifting toward productized, AI-enabled data services — a move that has attracted some buy-in from staff who enjoy building products, and criticism from others who fear a deprioritization of independent research. Whether the enhanced product strategy will pay off for institutional clients and for the company’s research legacy remains an open question as Blockworks integrates Messari and expands access to its AI tooling. Read more AI-generated news on: https://app.chaingpt.org/news