Web3 salaries fall to lowest level since 2021, Finbold data shows
Dubai, May 12, 2026 — Web3 salaries have fallen to their lowest level since December 2021, just one year after reaching record highs in early 2025, Finbold reporting has found.
The average Web3 worker in May 2026 earns around $138,000 a year - a 75.1% decline from the January 2025 peak of $553,000. Compared to December 2021 levels at around $205,000, salaries are down roughly 32.7%.
Between December 2021 and May 2026, the average Web3 salary was around $239,000, meaning current pay is approximately 42% below the period average.
The average salary stood at approximately $293,000 in 2022 before declining to about $223,000 in 2023 and $206,000 in 2024. In 2025, the yearly average climbed to roughly $275,000, propped by the above-mentioned January record.
However, that momentum has since reversed. So far in 2026, the average Web3 stands at $181,000, with May’s $138,000 figure marking the lowest monthly average in the dataset.
“With the average salaries and the number of new Web3 job openings going down over the past five years, it is evident that the industry has entered a highly competitive, selective phase. Should the trend continue, even lower compensation, a smaller number of openings, and increasingly fiercer competition among candidates could become the new norm,” said Marko Marjanović, author of the report.
As of May 2026, Web3 CTO positions have the highest average salary of roughly $150,000 per year, with a minimum base salary of $50,000 and a maximum of $350,000.
Lead developers make the least amount of money, with salaries ranging from $80,000–$247,000, or about $151,000 a year on average.
North American developers have the highest average salary ($143,000 per year, to be precise), with a minimum base salary of $80,000 and a maximum of $260,000.
Oceanian developers have the lowest salaries, making $112,000 a year on average, making between $90,000 and $160,000.
Find the full report here: https://finbold.com/
