FinTech

Asia Sees 50% Uptick in Blockchain, Cryptocurrency Jobs

Kevin O’Brien · @kevinobrienm | Sep 01, 2018 | 03:00

---

Despite market struggles, cryptocurrency and blockchain are in full swing across Asia, and companies looking to hire certainly have no shortage of prospective candidates.

Asia: Cryptocurrency Landscape Taking Shape

The number of blockchain and crypto-related startups has rapidly increased in Asia over the last few years.

Some believe innovation in both industries could breathe new life into struggling economies and spur on nations to become global leaders in fintech.

Some leaders, like Congressman Jason Hsu in Taiwan, are crusading to pass legislation and are collaborating with industry leaders to use blockchain and virtual currency to drive economic growth.

Other nations, like China, have decided to go in the other direction so far. Leaders in the Asian nation have banned ICOs and have shuttered leading exchanges.

However, many of those affected are not closing up shop, but rather expanding their operations after moving to other Asian nations like Japan, South Korea, and Singapore.

All of this enthusiasm about digital currency and blockchain in Asia has led to a lot of opportunities for knowledgeable job seekers to get plugged into start-ups and corporations. And this trend is only going to continue.

Choosing A Job They Love

Recruitment firm Robert Walters recently noted how they have seen a 50% uptick in the number of jobs in Asia since 2017 with relation to cryptocurrency or blockchain technology.

They specifically pointed out how entities are looking for candidates who have experience with the Python programming language.

Additionally, information from job search engine indeed also shows a lot of interest in blockchain jobs from candidates in India, Singapore, and Malaysia.

In the Asian market, many of those jumping into the cryptocurrency and blockchain worlds are coming from other industries.

The reason, according to John Mullally of Robert Walters, is there are a small number of people with the experience and knowledge needed for blockchain development roles.

Even though a turbulent cryptocurrency market in 2018 has somewhat tempered the Asian market for Bitcoin-related jobs, blockchain roles have still remained extremely popular across the region.

Good Prospects For The Future?

Positions related to blockchain and cryptocurrency have been a fast-growing sector for a while now, but momentum looks to be especially prominent in Asia for a few reasons.

Some believe virtual currencies could help simplify and further facilitate the $128-billion-dollar remittance industry in Southeast Asia.

Remittances are an important part of the national economy and livelihood for a number of people in the region, and many companies have started to look into how cutting-edge technologies could revolutionize the industry.

Places like Hong Kong and India have also taken big steps to experiment with blockchain, and have attracted a lot of job talent as a result. In early August, the Indian state of Telangana said they formed the nation’s first blockchain district.

The country also has initiatives like Eleven01, with a focus on creating an ecosystem for blockchain-related start-ups to get up and running.

Just recently, authorities in Hong Kong released a list of professions where experienced personnel could receive expedited immigration services.

Intending to attract global talent to the area, the list indicated officials were looking for experts in artificial intelligence, robots, distributed ledger technology, and biometrics.

What are your thoughts on Asia’s crypto & blockchain job boom? Let us know in the comments!

Images courtesy of Bitcoinist Archives, Shutterstock