The National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA), an organization backed by Ripple Labs, released a study Wednesday estimating the crypto industry will contribute $55 billion to the US economy in 2026 through salaries, worker spending and output. The report, prepared by the Pragmatic Policy Group, quantified the industry's economic impact based on direct, indirect and induced employment across multiple sectors. The analysis comes as the crypto industry experiences both employment growth and operational challenges, with several companies shutting down operations in 2026.
NCA Report Details $55 Billion Economic Contribution Across Sectors
According to the report released Wednesday by the Pragmatic Policy Group on behalf of the NCA, the total economic contribution was based on direct, indirect and induced employment. Of the sectors to benefit from crypto's economic contributions, the NCA said that investments in securities and commodity contracts were among the highest at $9.7 billion, while housing and real estate were a combined $4.8 billion.
The NCA launched in March 2025 as a non-profit organization focused on consumer crypto education, with $50 million in backing from Ripple. Stuart Alderoty, Ripple's chief legal officer, heads the group.
Crypto Industry Directly Employs 34,000 Americans in 2026
The research found that about 34,000 people in the US were directly employed by crypto companies, accounting for just a fraction of the 232,000 jobs supported by the industry across the entire economy. This would mean crypto companies directly employ more Americans than the coffee and tea manufacturing and aerospace industries, according to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
![The crypto industry's growing employment footprint in the US]()
The crypto industry's growing employment footprint in the US. Source: NCA
Texas and California Lead States in Crypto Employment
Among the individual US states, Texas, Washington, North Carolina, California and New York employed the most people involved in the industry, but Colorado was a "growing blockchain hub" based on friendly regulatory policies, according to the economic report. The NCA added that North Dakota was "becoming an energy-integrated digital infrastructure hub" due to the state's tax laws favoring crypto mining and favorable flare gas policies.
Multiple Crypto Companies Shut Down Operations in 2026
Several projects tied to digital assets announced they would be shuttering operations this year for various reasons, including difficulty with scaling and market conditions.
Entropy, a crypto start-up based in New York, said in January that it would shut down after four years in operation. Dmail, a decentralized email platform based in Singapore, began ceasing operations in May, citing expenses on bandwidth, storage and computing. Decentralized autonomous organization governance platform Tally and Balancer Labs also shuttered in March.
FAQ
What did the NCA report estimate about crypto's economic contribution to the US in 2026?
The NCA report estimated that the crypto industry will contribute $55 billion to the US economy in 2026 through salaries, worker spending and output, based on direct, indirect and induced employment.
How many people does the crypto industry directly employ in the United States?
The research found that about 34,000 people in the US were directly employed by crypto companies, while the industry supports 232,000 jobs across the entire economy.
Which US states employ the most people in the crypto industry?
According to the NCA report, Texas, Washington, North Carolina, California and New York employed the most people involved in the crypto industry, with Colorado identified as a growing blockchain hub.
