OP Labs, the developer behind the Optimism Ethereum layer-2 network, has laid off 20 employees as part of a restructuring effort. CEO Jing Wang stated that the move aims to streamline operations and prioritize core activities, not due to financial issues. The company emphasized its strong financial position with years of runway ahead.
OP Labs announced layoffs affecting 20 employees on March 12, 2026, as part of an internal reorganization. The firm, which supports the Optimism ecosystem, described the decision as a way to sharpen its strategic direction and improve efficiency.
In a message shared on X and via Slack, CEO Jing Wang explained the rationale. "This is not about finances," she wrote. "OP Labs is well capitalized with years of runway." Wang added that the restructuring would allow the team to "do fewer things ... exceptionally well," focusing on essential priorities rather than expanding broadly.
The layoffs followed discussions with the affected staff, and OP Labs communicated the changes internally before going public. The company invited other organizations in the crypto space to consider hiring the departing employees, highlighting their skills and experience.
Optimism serves as an Ethereum layer-2 scaling solution, handling transactions off the main chain to reduce costs and speed up processing. Its technology underpins several notable projects, including Coinbase's Base, Uniswap's Unichain, and Sony's Soneium.
Following the announcement, the OP token declined by about 3% in the past 24 hours. OP Labs has not yet disclosed the exact percentage of its workforce impacted, though CoinDesk sought further details on the matter.
This adjustment comes amid ongoing developments in the Ethereum ecosystem, where layer-2 networks continue to evolve to meet growing demands for scalable blockchain applications.
