Messari Appoints New CEO Amid Staff Reductions

Messari appoints new CEO, initiates layoffs amid strategic shift.

The cryptocurrency analytics firm Messari has undergone a leadership change and initiated a new wave of layoffs. Eric Turner has stepped down as CEO.

Today, I stepped down as CEO of Messari and handed the reins to Diran. This wasn’t an easy decision, but it’s the right one for the company’s next phase, and he has my full support.

It’s also a difficult day for the team as we say goodbye to many people who helped build Messari.… https://t.co/nAVtjIzBeZ

— Eric Turner (@eric_turner) March 16, 2026

Diran Li has been appointed as the new CEO, having previously served as the Chief Technology Officer for seven years.

The company has not disclosed the exact number of employees laid off. According to the new CEO, these staffing decisions are part of a strategic shift as Messari aims to become an AI-focused company. The focus will now be on AI-based research and products for institutional clients.

Today I’m stepping into the CEO role at Messari. After conversations with Eric and the board, we agreed this is the right step for the company’s next chapter.

This transition also includes a difficult decision: we’ve parted ways with many teammates who helped build Messari into…

— Diran Li (@diran_li) March 16, 2026

Turner had temporarily led the platform since July 2024 following the resignation of founder Ryan Selkis. This is not the first instance of layoffs for Messari: in January 2025, the company reduced its workforce by about 15%. A similar move was undertaken in February 2023.

The company has been moving towards artificial intelligence since 2024. On March 13, 2026, Li announced the implementation of the x402 protocol. This solution allows developers and autonomous AI agents to directly purchase on-chain data and pay for it via cryptocurrency wallets.

Messari continues the market trend of integrating blockchain with artificial intelligence. Previously, similar initiatives were undertaken by Core Scientific, Cipher Mining, MARA Holdings, and Hut 8.

Earlier in January, the CEO of the Mantra project, John Patrick Mullin, announced a restructuring that includes an unspecified number of staff reductions.