Companies Who Will Pay Your Salary in Crypto

Key Takeaways

• Leading companies across industries now pay employees in cryptocurrency, marking an important stage in digital asset adoption worldwide.
• These firms include exchanges, wallet providers, software builders, payroll services, and even energy companies, reflecting diverse approaches to crypto payroll.
• Employees often receive Bitcoin, Ethereum, or stablecoins, combining investment potential with practical payment options that reduce volatility and improve accessibility.
• The rise of crypto salaries highlights growing confidence in digital assets as everyday money, moving far beyond speculation or trading platforms.

Mainstream acceptance is the goal most new technologies pursue, and digital currencies are no exception. Over the last decade, more businesses have started taking them for payments, but a smaller group has taken things further by using them for salaries. Paying employees in digital currencies moves them beyond speculation and into everyday financial life. And with payment companies making remittances simpler, paying salaries in crypto has become easier.

A 2024 compensation survey from Pantera Capital shows the trend gaining ground, with over 9.6% of workers in the blockchain receiving compensation in stablecoins like USDC and USDT.

The article below explores the companies leading that change, how they made the decision, and what it means for employees today.

10 Companies Who Pay Your Salary in Crypto

 Coinbase – Crypto Exchange

Coinbase is one of the largest crypto exchanges in the United States. Founded in 2012 by Brian Armstrong, the company has shaped the way millions of people buy and store digital assets. Armstrong’s consistent belief in cryptocurrency as money made Coinbase an early adopter of employee crypto compensation.

Employees at Coinbase can choose to receive a portion of their salaries in Bitcoin or Ethereum. The company’s infrastructure makes that process simple, since payroll integrates directly with their centralized exchange. Coinbase sees this practice as a vote of confidence in digital assets for daily transactions.

Exodus – Crypto Wallets

Exodus takes things further than most. Founded by JP Richardson, Exodus is a crypto wallet provider known for its design and accessibility. Richardson’s vision has guided the company’s culture, aligning it with Bitcoin’s original philosophy. To reinforce that commitment, Exodus pays every employee, including Richardson, entirely in Bitcoin.

The company’s approach started early and has remained consistent. For new hires, it also offers a direct introduction to living with digital currency day to day.

Kraken – Crypto Exchange

Kraken is a global exchange that provides trading in hundreds of digital assets. CEO David Ripley leads a team that values transparency and crypto-first principles. From its early days under Jesse Powell, Kraken offered employees the chance to take salaries in Bitcoin. Several employees, known as Krakenites, receive part of their salaries in crypto.

Kraken’s approach matched the exchange’s ethos of building services for long-term crypto adoption. Paying employees in digital currency is both symbolic and practical, reflecting Kraken’s belief that crypto should operate as seamlessly as fiat.

Blockchain.com – Crypto Services

Blockchain.com is one of the oldest companies in the industry, best known for its wallet and blockchain explorer services. CEO Peter Smith has guided the company in building the future of finance. Part of the future is the importance of giving employees a choice in how they receive their payments.

Pantera Capital’s survey highlighted a growing trend at Blockchain.com and other firms to use stablecoins for compensation. The appeal of stablecoins lies in their predictable value, giving employees a way to avoid volatility while still participating in the crypto ecosystem.

GMO Internet – Technology and Finance

Japanese internet giant GMO Internet made international headlines in 2017 when it announced that its partners could take a portion of their salary in Bitcoin. CEO Masatoshi Kumagai positioned the move as part of a broader mission to integrate digital assets into everyday business.

GMO’s decision came at a time when few large companies had experimented with such policies, which made the company a pioneer. Employees could opt to receive part of their monthly pay in Bitcoin, signaling confidence in crypto’s future role within mainstream financial services.

BitPay – Payments

BitPay is one of the most recognized payment processors in the crypto industry. CEO Stephen Pair designed the company’s “BitPay Send” service to enable businesses to pay employees, contractors, and affiliates in digital currency. BitPay also uses the same service for its own team.

Employees can receive their salaries in Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, and several stablecoins. The move reflects the company’s role in building infrastructure that allows businesses worldwide to adopt crypto payroll with ease.

BitMEX – Exchange

BitMEX, launched in 2014 by Arthur Hayes and his co-founders, became well known for its derivatives platform. As a crypto-native business, BitMEX adopted practices that aligned with the industry’s culture, including paying salaries in crypto.

While not every detail of its payroll policies is public, it is widely recognized that the company compensates staff in Bitcoin. In the early years, when crypto-native firms sought to attract talent, paying employees directly in the currency they traded and promoted created alignment between mission and compensation.

ConsenSys – Blockchain Software

Founded by Joseph Lubin in 2014, ConsenSys builds applications and tools for the Ethereum ecosystem. As Ethereum grew in prominence, ConsenSys provided services ranging from development frameworks to digital wallets.

Paying employees in crypto aligned with Lubin’s vision of Ethereum as more than a speculative asset. Salaries in ETH made sense for developers who were already building tools within the Ethereum ecosystem. The alignment strengthened the sense of ownership and direct participation in the network’s growth.

Remixpoint – Energy and Crypto

Remixpoint is a Tokyo-based company with interests spanning energy and digital asset services. In July 2025, the company announced in a press release that its CEO, Takeshi Hiroshige, would receive his entire salary in Bitcoin. This move made Remixpoint the first publicly traded Japanese company to take that step.

The process involves calculating the salary in yen, deducting taxes, converting the remainder into Bitcoin, and transferring it directly to the CEO’s crypto wallet. The company highlighted this approach as part of its broader commitment to integrating digital assets into executive and corporate practices.

Deel – HR and Payroll Technology

Deel operates as a global payroll solution that simplifies hiring across borders. Founded by Alex Bouaziz, Deel quickly expanded its services by integrating crypto payment options.

Through its partnership with Coinbase, Deel enables employees worldwide to receive compensation in multiple cryptocurrencies. This service addresses two challenges at once: global payroll compliance and crypto adoption. Deel’s willingness to pay its own employees in crypto highlights its belief that payroll flexibility is a key part of modern employment.

What Do You Need to Get Paid in Crypto?

Receiving a salary in crypto requires a few simple steps. Employees typically need a digital wallet compatible with the currency they choose. Exchanges and payroll platforms often handle the conversion process, so staff members receive funds directly in their wallets.

Companies like Coinbase, BitPay, and Deel simplify this process, offering support for major cryptocurrencies and stablecoins. For employees, the main decision is whether to hold their salary in crypto or convert it into local currency for spending.

Various companies also partner with payroll providers that specialize in tax reporting and compliance. Services such as Bitwage and Request Finance help ensure that employers and employees meet local requirements, while still giving the flexibility to use crypto as part of compensation. In practice, receiving a crypto salary feels similar to direct deposit, only with a different asset arriving in your account.

What Are the Benefits of Being Paid in Crypto?

Choosing to receive pay in digital currency carries several potential benefits.

• First, it offers immediacy. Traditional cross-border transfers can take days, while crypto transactions settle in minutes. The speed appeals to global workforces where employees live in different countries but work for the same company.
• Second, salaries in crypto give employees access to an asset class with growth potential. Several workers prefer to hold their earnings in Bitcoin or Ethereum as a long-term investment, while others prefer stablecoins for predictability.
• Third, global accessibility. Crypto does not require a traditional bank account, which makes it especially useful for employees in regions with limited banking infrastructure. Stablecoins add an extra layer of reliability, allowing workers to preserve value while bypassing local currency instability.

For many, being paid in crypto also fosters a stronger connection with the company’s mission. Employees at Exodus, Brave, or ConsenSys live with the very tools they help build, which strengthens alignment between daily work and long-term vision.

Closing Thoughts

The decision to pay employees in digital currency once looked like a radical experiment. Today, it appears increasingly practical, with companies across different sectors integrating crypto salaries into their operations. From wallet providers like Exodus to large exchanges such as Coinbase, these firms show how digital assets can function as real money for both companies and employees.

With payroll services like Deel and BitPay now offering flexible options, more organizations can follow this path without adding complexity. For employees, receiving a salary in crypto represents more than a financial choice. It signals participation in the growth of a new monetary system, one paycheck at a time.