Senior crypto leaders pivot to AI as industry faces early 2026 talent rotation and coordination test

In early 2026, several high-profile crypto leaders, including Akshay BD from Solana, Anthony Rose from zkSync, and Kyle Samani of Multicoin, announced moves into AI or other domains, raising concerns about a leadership drain. Data from Electric Capital shows overall monthly active crypto developers fell about 7% year over year in 2024, while experienced contributors with at least two years in the space grew 27%. Industry figures argue this reflects cyclical churn and leadership reshuffles rather than a collapse in core builders, as regulatory clarity around stablecoins and convergence with AI create new incentives for hybrid financial infrastructure.