Coinbase has shifted to using AI for more than 95% of its software code. We break down the details.
Coinbase Head of Platform Engineering Rob Witoff told Cointelegraph how the crypto exchange is integrating AI.
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The share of AI-generated code has more than doubled since February 2026, when the company estimated it at 40%. Today, 100% of the exchange’s employees use AI daily.
In May, Coinbase cut 700 employees as part of a plan to “restore startup speed and focus” with AI.
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How Coinbase Uses AI: From Prototypes to Cryptography
The level of automation depends on task complexity. Prototyping is fully automated, core systems are built in a hybrid model, and cryptography requires manual work. Developers review every line of code, while AI helps find vulnerabilities and verify mathematical calculations.
“When we’re writing core cryptography, our top cryptographers carefully research and review every single line. We use AI heavily to test and check code for vulnerabilities, but it’s much more manual than internal prototyping, which is now 100 percent automated,” Witoff said.
The adoption has reshaped team structures. Groups of two to three senior engineers now handle tasks that once required 10 or more people. Most cuts hit junior developers, along with marketing, support, and compliance staff. Each Coinbase engineer now works with five to ten active AI agents, together doing the equivalent of 1,200 employees’ work.
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Context: A Wave of Crypto Layoffs Driven by AI
Coinbase is part of a broader wave of crypto layoffs driven by AI adoption. In March 2026, Crypto.com cut 12% of its staff, targeting roles “that don’t adapt in the new world.” In February, Block CEO Jack Dorsey announced a 40% headcount reduction.
Other companies citing AI efficiency include Kraken, Gemini, Messari, and Dune. Witoff emphasized that for small teams to succeed, “taste, judgment, and experience to guide agents in the right direction” are key.
Long-term, Coinbase aims for a model where AI agents do the work of 100,000 employees–a shift that could fundamentally reshape the entire industry. The exchange is aiming to do such by year 2030.
Learn more: What is AI in Crypto? Complete Guide to AI Agents, Tokens & Use Cases
