The company reported record net contribution of $868 million for 2025, up 10% year-over-year, including $227 million in Q4. Fourth-quarter Assets Under Administration (AUA) grew 11% year-over-year to $18.5 billion, reflecting continued platform growth. eToro also announced a $100 million increase to its share repurchase program.

“This was a milestone year for eToro,” 

said CEO Yoni Assia. 

“We became a publicly traded company and significantly advanced the build-out of our global financial super-app. In 2025, we accelerated product innovation and AI adoption.”

While the financial performance underscored balance sheet strength, the strategic emphasis was clearly on artificial intelligence, API-driven ecosystems, and blockchain-based market infrastructure.

AI as the Core of the “Financial Super-App”

At the center of eToro’s innovation push is Tori, the company’s newly launched AI Analyst. Designed to help retail investors interpret markets and strategies more effectively, Tori forms part of a broader AI layer embedded across the platform.

“Artificial intelligence and progress towards on-chain market infrastructure are reshaping how people invest and interact with markets and eToro is uniquely positioned to capture this opportunity,” 

Assia said.

Beyond AI-generated insights, eToro is opening its infrastructure through public APIs and a suite of AI-powered tools that allow users and partners to build, test, and scale trading strategies. This developer-oriented approach sets the stage for the upcoming eToro App Store, where third-party “investor builders” will be able to publish applications directly to eToro’s global user base.

The move signals a shift from a closed brokerage model to a platform ecosystem — blending fintech, AI tooling, and community-driven strategy development.

24/7 Trading and On-Chain Transition

Parallel to its AI expansion, eToro is aligning itself with what it sees as the next phase of market infrastructure: on-chain finance and continuous trading.

“With our long-standing leadership in crypto and tokenization, we are well placed to help shape this transition,”

Assia said.

This quarter, the company is introducing 24/7 trading access for select popular assets, with plans to expand round-the-clock availability across additional asset classes. The initiative reflects a broader industry shift toward always-on markets enabled by blockchain rails and digital asset infrastructure.

eToro’s positioning is notable: it describes itself as both a crypto-native company and a global equities platform, effectively bridging traditional and digital asset ecosystems within a single app architecture.

Data-Driven and Quant Strategies for Retail

The company also expanded its Smart Portfolio offerings through collaborations with major asset managers including Franklin Templeton, WisdomTree, ARK Invest, and Amundi.

Additionally, the launch of Alpha Portfolios brings quantitative, data-driven strategies to retail investors, leveraging eToro’s proprietary data and analytics capabilities.

Social investing — long a defining feature of the platform — is also becoming more algorithmically enhanced. More than 5,000 members participate in eToro’s Pro Investor Program, and Copy Trading is now live in the U.S., extending its social-finance model into a major regulated market.

Tech-Led Growth Heading into 2026

CFO Meron Shani highlighted the resilience of the company’s multi-asset model and diversified revenue streams.

“Our fourth quarter results reflect the strength and resilience of our multi-asset business model,”

Shani said. 

“We delivered compelling financial performance through a combination of diversified revenue streams, healthy funded accounts growth, and disciplined financial management.”

He added that early 2026 indicators point to continued momentum.

“We are off to a strong start to 2026 with our January capital markets KPIs demonstrating the ability of our platform to adapt and perform across all different market conditions, including the recent spike in commodities trading,” 

Shani explained.

 “With our strong balance sheet and a clear execution roadmap, we believe that we are well positioned to deliver accelerated growth in 2026.”

As AI capabilities mature and financial infrastructure increasingly shifts on-chain, eToro appears to be betting that the next phase of retail investing will be defined less by brokerage mechanics and more by intelligent tooling, open ecosystems, and continuous market access.

Material by Iva Abadjievа

Image: eToro

In a blog post outlining what it called “The big idea,” the crypto lending platform said recent macroeconomic and legislative developments signal deeper changes underway in the U.S. crypto ecosystem.

The past few weeks have delivered no shortage of headlines across crypto – from macro prints to regulatory drafts to institutional positioning,

the company wrote.

Individually, each development may have felt incremental. Taken together, they point to something more structural unfolding beneath the surface.

Regulatory Architecture Taking Shape

Nexo pointed to a softer U.S. inflation print last week, which modestly strengthened expectations for potential rate cuts later this year, easing macroeconomic pressure at the margin. More significantly, the company highlighted advancing digital asset oversight in Washington.

Implementation of the GENIUS Act is progressing, establishing supervisory standards for payment stablecoins. Meanwhile, Senate negotiations around the CLARITY Act continue to refine jurisdictional boundaries across decentralized finance (DeFi), commodity tokens, and tokenized securities.

The direction is becoming clearer: fewer gray areas, more defined accountability, and a regulatory architecture increasingly integrated with the broader U.S. financial system,

Nexo stated.

Against this backdrop, the company said it is relaunching its core platform in the United States under what it describes as a U.S.-compliant structure built around regulated partnerships.

Platform Relaunch and Product Offering

The relaunch will include Nexo’s Yield programs, an integrated exchange, loyalty benefits, and crypto-backed credit lines. According to the company, the move is not simply a product expansion but reflects alignment with what it views as a more codified and institutional regulatory landscape.

This is not simply product expansion. It reflects alignment with a regulatory landscape that is materially different from prior cycles: more codified, more institutional, and more durable,

the blog post said, adding:

The timing is not incidental.

U.S. as the New Center of Gravity

Nexo also underscored structural shifts in market liquidity and price discovery since the launch of U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs in January 2024, referencing the approval of products tied to Bitcoin.

Since then, liquidity has increasingly gravitated toward U.S. venues, the company noted, with regulated derivatives participation expanding and ETF-related flows exerting greater influence around the U.S. market close.

In 2026, hourly return dispersion has consistently skewed toward U.S. trading hours – a structural departure from earlier cycles when offshore sessions dominated volatility,

Nexo wrote.

The center of gravity has shifted.

As oversight frameworks solidify and liquidity deepens, the company argues, participation is broadening and the next phase of digital asset adoption is increasingly being shaped within the United States.

Our return is not merely geographic. It is structural,

the company concluded.

Material by Yana Petrova

Image: Nexo

What skills do you think will be most important for cloud infrastructure specialists in the next 3–5 years?

With the constant development of technologies in the field of cloud solutions and the growing interest of companies in them, specialists in this field are increasingly in demand. The migration from private infrastructures to cloud solutions requires experts who can create secure, efficient, and financially sound plans, as well as architectures that do not disrupt the availability of business products.

The market is moving towards more complex roles that combine design, cost optimization, automation, working with multi-cloud and hybrid environments, and security. This is a natural evolution of the specialist profile and reflects the long-term goals of companies in the field of cloud solutions.

Candidates are increasingly valued for soft skills that enable them to translate technical skills in cloud solutions into business value. Presentation skills and the ability to adapt content for non-technical audiences will also find increasing application in the intertwined infrastructure and business solutions in the cloud.

What approaches do you use at Paysafe to develop and retain talent in a team that works with cloud technologies?

At Paysafe, we focus on technical work in which employees see meaning, opportunities for growth and development, a positive culture, and the idea that cloud infrastructure solutions have value equivalent to that of our business products. In modern business applications to end customers, infrastructure plays a key role in ensuring fast, secure, and reliable service for our users.

Beyond the ongoing maintenance of our systems, employees work on business tasks with infrastructure dependencies that provoke technical thinking and experimentation, leading to the construction of architecture and a model for its reliable long-term maintenance, often distributed across different teams and continents. Paysafe operates in a modern DevOps-oriented environment that encourages collaboration, autonomy in decision-making, and the use of modern infrastructure tools such as code, monitoring, and telemetry.

Employees have access to a variety of resources with up-to-date technical literature and certification opportunities provided by the company.

What role do you think automation and artificial intelligence will play in the development of talent in this field?

Automation and artificial intelligence are the main accelerators of technical development for candidates in the field of cloud technologies. They help create intelligent and predictable technical solutions, with an additional key feature: the ability to automatically recognize and correct errors.

By using automation for routine operations, specialists gain more time to invest in infrastructure development and decision-making for its improvement based on feedback from monitoring tools that track systems at multiple levels and build a comprehensive picture of behaviour.

What new roles or profiles do you expect to see emerge in the field of cloud infrastructure, and how should candidates prepare for them?

With the development of cloud solutions, artificial intelligence, and automation capabilities, traditionally known roles will evolve into new hybrid ones in line with market demand.

Some of these roles are:

Cloud-native Platform Engineer – focused on creating platforms for developing cloud-based business systems

Cloud FinOps Specialist – as infrastructure grows, so does the need for cost control and optimization

SecOps Engineer – working with infrastructure as code for security control, as well as building systems for early problem detection

To prepare, candidates need to keep up with trends in the field, as well as the increasing number of products appearing in the portfolios of companies offering cloud solutions. Researching and experimenting with new technologies gives candidates visibility into new opportunities that they can use as part of their work, apply them, and improve existing infrastructure solutions.

The material and image are provided by Paysafe

In such a dynamic industry like fintech, how do you manage to maintain balance between work and personal life?

With the rise of new technologies, there is no longer a real boundary between work and personal life. The idealized “perfect work-life balance” is, to me, an illusion. No matter how much we try to keep them separate, the pressure of deadlines and tasks inevitably spills into our personal time, while personal responsibilities also make their way into the work environment.

I like the concept of work-life integration. I try to structure my day so that work and personal life complement each other instead of competing. Family dinners and weekends are “sacred” – the laptop stays closed. I also schedule short breaks during the day to recharge and gain a fresh perspective. This way, my career keeps progressing, and at the same time my children see me as a present parent, not just someone behind a screen.

What practices or habits do you find most helpful in building a healthy work culture?

For me, the most valuable thing is that people know they can openly talk about their workload and needs.

We are in an industry that never stops, but without transparency, stress builds up and eventually bursts out at the wrong moment. That’s why in my team I encourage flexibility and lead by example in respecting boundaries. The focus is not on watching the clock from 9 to 6, but on whether the work gets done.

We also try to keep meetings purposeful, not just “for sport.” At the same time, we don’t forget their social element – after all, we are humans first. When people feel trust and support, they give their best without burning out.

Do you have personal strategies that help you set boundaries and avoid burnout?

Saying “no” is perhaps the hardest but also the most valuable habit. I use deep work blocks (at least twice a day for 30 minutes) to maximize productivity. I also take short walks around the office or at least have a proper lunch break, even on the busiest days – the brain works better when you give it some air.

When I feel burnout creeping in, I disconnect completely from emails and chats for an entire weekend. This is not a luxury, but an investment in my own effectiveness.

How do you think the topic of work-life balance will evolve in IT and fintech in the coming years?

We will talk more about integration rather than perfect separation. Hybrid work and automation will give us the freedom to organize our days according to personal priorities. To me, companies should establish clear rules based on delivered results, not on staying in the office or being online.

A well-rested person with clear priorities can be much more effective. As I said, it’s not balance but integration that will be the decisive factor in the battle for talent.

What are the main challenges for people in the tech field when it comes to balance?

The biggest challenge is the feeling that we need to be “always on.” The fast pace makes you think that if you stop, you’ll fall behind. Endless meetings and constant notifications eat up the time for real focus.

There is also a culture of “heroism” – working late to save a project. It happens and can be useful, but only if it’s an exception, not the rule. We need to consciously pause and reset the rules of the game.

What role do flexible work models – such as hybrid work – play in better combining personal and professional life?

The hybrid model is a huge advantage when used wisely. It saves commuting time that can be invested in family or personal projects. It gives you the choice to work where you are most productive – at home for focus, or in the office for team energy. But for it to work, there needs to be a clear framework – when it’s important to be together and when distance is the better option.

For my personal effectiveness, I prefer to be in the office. But having the flexibility to stay home when needed gives me the peace of mind not to worry about “what if.” Every worry avoided is energy I can channel into something useful.

What advice would you give to your colleagues in the sector to find a more sustainable rhythm between personal and professional life?

Decide what is important to you outside of work and protect it as a top priority. Find a way to align it with your work process. Trust your team and don’t try to be everywhere. Work smart, automate, and prioritize instead of simply piling on hours. And most importantly – don’t wait until you feel burnout to start taking care of yourself.

The material and image are provided by Paysafe

From Marble Halls to Mobile Apps

Not too long ago, money moved at the speed of bureaucracy. You filled out forms, waited in lines, and crossed your fingers for a banker’s approval. Finance happened in marble-columned branches, not in your pocket.

Fast forward to today: the bank is an app. A teenager in São Paulo can open a Nubank account in under five minutes. A freelancer in Sofia invests loose change through Revolut. Someone else takes out a loan via a peer-to-peer platform that doesn’t care about a FICO score, it cares about data.

And then there’s the radical stuff. DeFi protocols like Aave eliminate managers, approvals, even people altogether. What’s left are smart contracts executing exactly what they were written to do.

Fintech hasn’t just digitized finance. It’s rewritten the rules of who gets to play, and how.

The Tech Beneath the Surface

Swipe, tap, confirm. On the surface, fintech looks sleek. Under the hood? A complex stack of infrastructure powering that simplicity.

APIs (and PSD II) are the digital bridges. They let your budgeting app pull transaction history from your bank or your payments app process transfers in real time. Without PSD II forcing banks to open up access, fintech would be a cluster of isolated islands. Instead, it’s a connected ecosystem.

Blockchain takes it further. Beyond Bitcoin, networks like Ethereum let developers create open, decentralized financial instruments. Protocols such as Aave and Morpho aren’t copying banks, they’re reinventing them. Lending and rates aren’t decided by committees anymore; they’re governed by code.

Layer on machine learning and things get smarter. Credit platforms score risk by analyzing behavior and usage patterns, not just credit histories. Fraud detection systems learn in real time, spotting anomalies before humans can. And yes, the rise of AI agents is looming, but that’s a conversation for another article.

It’s a cocktail of technologies that takes old processes, like moving money or managing risk, and makes them faster, fairer, and almost invisible.

Innovation’s Double-Edged Sword

Every revolution has blind spots. Fintech, for all its elegance and promise, is no exception.

The upside is undeniable: speed, access, personalization. Millions of people who were invisible to banks now have financial identities. Borrowing is faster, saving is easier, investing is democratized.

But innovation doesn’t wait for regulators. That’s where risk creeps in.

Take crypto lending. With a few clicks, you can deposit assets into a DeFi platform and earn interest instantly – no paperwork, no gatekeepers. But when the 2022 crypto crash hit, billions vanished overnight as smart contracts auto-liquidated loans without human intervention.

Fintech doesn’t remove risk. It shifts it – from institutions to individuals, from slow-moving bureaucracies to fast-moving code. The challenge isn’t adoption; it’s resilience.

Redefining Trust

Every few decades, technology flips an industry on its head. Fintech isn’t just shaking up banks, it’s questioning the very nature of money. What if money moved like information? What if access wasn’t a privilege, but a protocol?

We’re watching that play out in real time. From mobile wallets to Ethereum’s DeFi protocols, gatekeepers are stepping aside, barriers are falling, and algorithms are taking over. It’s messy, it’s fast, it’s unfinished, but it’s promising. Because at the end of the day, democratizing finance isn’t just about tools. It’s about trust. And that may turn out to be the most powerful innovation of all.

Konstantin Drenski, Senior Software Engineer

Konstantin has been a senior software engineer at Paysafe since 2021. In addition to the financial industry, his professional career to date includes experience on several large software projects in the telecommunications and energy sectors. In his free time, he enjoys sports, traveling, and experimenting with new technologies.

Alexander Petrov, Software Engineer

Alexander is a software engineer with 5 years of experience in Java, Spring Boot, and microservices architecture. Outside of work, he has a strong interest in electric vehicle platforms and battery technology. He often applies his engineering mindset to his hobbies, whether it’s home automation, energy efficiency, or smart solutions for everyday life.

Stoyan Stoyanov, Junior Software Engineer

Stoyan has been a Software Engineer at Paysafe since 2024. He holds an engineering degree in mechanical engineering and transitioned into the field of software engineering about four years ago. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family and actively engaging in various sports activities.

What do you like most about your job as a software engineer?

Konstantin: What I like most is the opportunity to solve complex problems through technology and create solutions that have a real impact.

Alexander: I like that I can create something useful, from an idea to a real working product. I feel satisfied when I see how the solution I have worked on makes others’ work easier or contributes to a better experience for end users. In addition, my profession constantly challenges me – there is always something new to learn and improve upon.

Stoyan: I like the fact that by writing code, we actually solve problems and create value. The work combines logic and creativity, and the greatest satisfaction comes when I see something I’ve worked on being used in real life—especially on a large scale, as I’ve seen with my previous employers and now at Paysafe. Technology is constantly changing, which keeps me curious and engaged – it’s never boring.

When you encounter a technical challenge, how do you approach solving it?

Konstantin: When I encounter a technical challenge, I first analyze it thoroughly, break it down into smaller parts, and systematically seek a solution through research, testing, and collaboration with the team.

Alexander: First, I try to really understand the problem– what exactly is not working and why. Then I develop a clear plan of action – step by step. If necessary, I look for information, consult with colleagues, or try out different options. I believe that with patience, logic, and good communication, every challenge has a solution.

Stoyan: I usually start by understanding the full context – not just what’s broken, but why, and what should be happening. I break the problem down into smaller steps and look for confirmation through logs, tests, or observing the behavior of the system. If I’m stuck, I don’t hesitate to ask a colleague for advice. My work so far has taught me that asking the right question at the right time saves a lot of time and effort.

What is the most important lesson you have learned so far in your career?

Konstantin: The most important lesson I have learned so far in my career is that effective communication and collaboration are as key to success as technical skills.

Alexander: My most important lesson so far is that at work, especially in a team, it is not only important to find a solution, but also how you present and communicate it. A good software engineer is not someone who knows everything, but someone who knows how to work effectively with others, share knowledge, and create clarity, not confusion.

Stoyan: I have learned that communication is just as important as writing good code. There have been cases where better coordination would have saved hours of debugging. Another important lesson is that good planning and design at the beginning can save a lot of headaches in the end – something I have also seen in larger projects in a corporate environment.

How do you maintain and develop your skills in the dynamic world of technology?

Konstantin: I maintain and develop my skills through continuous learning. I follow new technologies, participate in online courses, read specialized literature, and engage in practical projects that challenge me to step outside my comfort zone.

Alexander: I try to regularly find time for learning, sometimes through online courses, sometimes through real projects, or by setting myself new challenges. I keep track of what is changing in our field, I like to experiment and ask myself the question: “Can this be done better?” For me, development is a continuous process.

Stoyan: To be honest, my free time doesn’t always allow me to keep up with everything new, so I try to get involved in a variety of tasks and projects at work that allow me to learn new technologies. This way, I learn practically – “on the go,” through real problems. This helps me develop naturally, without losing touch with the real context.

What do you think makes a team of software engineers successful?

Konstantin: In my opinion, a successful team of software engineers is built on open communication, mutual trust, clearly defined roles, and shared responsibility for the end result.

Alexander: A successful team is built on trust, respect, and open communication. Everyone should feel free to share ideas and concerns. When people help each other, learn from each other, and work together toward a common goal, the results are really good. And last but not least, a good mood in the team is always reflected in the quality of the work.

Stoyan: Clear communication and a culture of mutual trust are the foundation. In a strong team, people help each other, are not afraid to share uncertainties, and give each other feedback. In my opinion, teams are most effective when everyone is clear about how they contribute, but is also open to getting involved in things outside their comfort zone if necessary. I have seen this in practice – good teams are immediately recognizable by the way they communicate and take responsibility.

The material and images are provided by Paysafe

Georgi has been in the software industry for almost 20 years, starting his career as a junior programmer. He is currently a software team manager and has been in this role for more than 10 years. He is a supporter of innovation in the industry, both in technical and organizational aspects. His passion and strength lie in building and developing teams and people. On a personal level, he enjoys spending time with his family and playing sports.

What is your perspective on the hybrid work model?

The hybrid work model should be understood both as an opportunity to balance work and personal time, and to strengthen collaboration, teamwork, and social-professional engagement. I’m not claiming it’s the optimal approach for everyone. However, like in any other work arrangement, mutual trust and professional accountability are essential.

What works well and what doesn’t in the hybrid work model?

If the goal of introducing a hybrid model is achieving work-life balance, then flexibility in its implementation is key to its success.

What do you think is the optimal balance between office and remote work for software teams?

Personally, I believe a healthy balance is around half of the time. I’m not a fan of extremes – I don’t think 5/5 office presence yields better results than 4 or 3 out of 5 days.
On the flip side, 1 out of 5 is the least productive setup in my experience. People spend most of the time socializing over lunch and coffee, and that day ends up with near-zero productivity. A possible mitigation of this effect is using that day for team meetings like PI planning or scrum ceremonies.

Can you give an example of when being in the office led to a faster or more creative solution to a problem?

Any developer would think of pair programming situations. But personally, I believe any decision-making scenario is resolved much faster when people are physically together – full communication dynamics are activated, and a psychologically safe environment is created.

Have you noticed a difference in how junior or new engineers develop in a hybrid setup compared to fully remote?

For newcomers in the profession, being close to more experienced colleagues – mentors, buddies, and the team – is much more productive. Like any beginner, they often face “reinventing the wheel” challenges, and it’s much more effective to get immediate help from the person at the next desk than to lose days trying on their own or waiting for replies through digital channels.

Are there aspects of engineering work (e.g., code reviews, pair programming, architecture discussions) that are better in person?

All communication phases are more productive in person because they include emotion and body language. This helps build a psychologically safe environment where participants are more open to sharing ideas and solving problems.
In contrast, when everything happens behind screens, there’s always room for misinterpretation – of both words and potential emotions. Using a second language adds another layer of complexity due to language barriers.

What does your team do to make in-office time meaningful rather than “presence for the sake of presence”?

We use the time for discussions and decision-making – whether part of scrum ceremonies. Morning meetings are always stand-ups.
Lunch and especially short coffee breaks provide regular opportunities for team bonding and getting to know each other. These small but consistent interactions are more valuable than they seem – they let us see each other through all seasons, at different times of day, and in varied emotional states.
After all, we’re all human outside of work and face similar everyday challenges. When someone realizes their own issues are shared by the colleague next to them – both desk neighbours and team members – they feel more understood and accepted. The result: a safer and more productive work environment.

The material and images are provided by Paysafe

Why are soft skills so important in the technology sector, where the focus is often on technical expertise?

Because technology is not made by machines – it is made by people. Yes, it is important to write stable code, understand architecture, or work with the Cloud, but in reality, you are almost never working alone. Engineers increasingly need to communicate with different people – product managers, designers, even customers. If you can’t explain your idea clearly, listen to others’ opinions, or work together under pressure, no matter how good you are technically, you won’t get very far. That’s why soft skills can no longer be considered a “nice to have” but are becoming a must-have.

Which soft skills do you think are most valuable for a technology specialist today – and why? 

I would put three at the top of the list: communication, adaptability, and emotional intelligence. Communication is obvious—you can’t work effectively in a team without it. Adaptability is important because the world and the ecosystem in which you work are changing literally every week—new technologies, new priorities, new processes. And emotional intelligence is super underrated – it’s the ability to “read” people, have difficult conversations, deal with conflict without burning bridges. All of this makes a huge difference in team dynamics.

What is the role of companies in developing the soft skills of their employees? What are you doing in this regard at Paysafe?

Companies have a huge role to play. Many people want to develop, but if you don’t give them the opportunity, space, and support, it won’t happen. At Paysafe, we take this seriously – we include training in communication, presentation, leadership, and change management. The idea is to have continuous learning, not only for skills but also for mindset. Mentoring is an essential part of our culture of development and improvement. At Paysafe, we have various mentoring programs that focus on both technical improvement and the personal and professional development of employees. These are not just informal initiatives — instead they are actively supported by senior leaders in the company who personally participate as mentors, sharing their experience and vision. This direct commitment from management helps to create an environment of trust and continuous knowledge exchange. In this way, mentoring not only accelerates the development of individual specialists, but also strengthens team bonds and increases overall efficiency and engagement.

Do you think that soft skills will become even more important in the fintech sector in the future, and why? 

Absolutely. We are already seeing many technical tasks being automated. But you cannot automate thinking, creativity, or empathy. The fintech sector is moving at tremendous speed, and to survive in this environment, you need to be flexible, able to work with different people, and see the bigger picture. Ultimately, software solves problems for people, not algorithms—and that’s why soft skills will become increasingly valuable.

The material and images are provided by Paysafe

How do you enjoy working from an office in nature from two huts in Vitosha? 

Variety in daily life is an important part of the rhythm of work, not only because it improves emotional stability and health, but also because it naturally unlocks human creativity. Because our work in the IT department is not trivial and we don’t always know in advance the steps that will solve the problem at hand, some of the idea generation happens in unconventional places, often away from the computer. In this line of thought, we appreciate very much the flexibility that Paysafe provides us, to work in nature for part of the time, to enjoy the sun, greenery and fresh air.

What are the main advantages for you when working in the mountains compared to working in a traditional office environment? 

Working outdoors in the mountains activates alternative parts of the brain that often get left behind in a predictable office environment where everything looks the same, day after day. In fact, some of our boldest ideas have been generated outside of the regular office environment and the effect on team spirit is unparalleled.

How does this change in environment affect you – do you feel a difference in concentration, motivation or work-life balance? 

I have noticed that after a day like this, all colleagues are extremely energised and I am sure that even after they go home, the feeling remains and they are able to share it with their loved ones. This is the magic of fresh air, open skies and the living forest. For me personally, the feeling after such a day, no matter how busy it was in terms of operational tasks, is like coming back from an outing with friends.

How often do you take this opportunity and does it happen that you work from the hut together with colleagues? 

We use this opportunity the most in the warm season, when the weather is suitable to stay outdoors all day. This means that we open the season from the beginning of June and close it after mid-October when late autumn starts. So far, I have never gone to work from the hut alone, we are always together with colleagues – it is so much more fun, and more productive. Many times we have used these days out to organize workshops with the teams in order to generate ideas, solve a particular problem and bring the team together.

How do your family and friends react when they find out you work from a cabin in the mountains?

Some of them, who are not used to the concept, are surprised, even asking me, “Well, how come? Do you manage to do good work from there?” I answer this question with a smile, assuring them that some of our most significant results have been achieved precisely through the unconventional approach, encouraging them to try it too, if of course their employer offers them such flexibility. I have also shown them photos of workshops in nature, where the mood and commitment of the participants is evident. After such a discussion I leave everyone with a curiosity and willingness to try and give something new and different a chance.

What place do nature and the mountains have in your way of working and taking care of yourself?

No matter how advanced we are as a society and technology, nature remains our natural habitat. I am personally of the opinion that without regular contact with it, true and complete human health and happiness is unattainable. That’s why I’ve given this type of activity a central place in my life, taking every possible moment to be outside in the woods or a nearby park. As for outdoor work – it inspires me, refreshes me and brings me new perspectives.

Would you recommend this model of work to colleagues and why?

Not only do I recommend this model of work to colleagues, I directly encourage them and go with them when commitments allow. I have repeatedly recommended working from the mountains to my fellow managers as an excellent prerequisite for running successful team workshops, and quite a few of them have already been convinced by personal experience. I would like to tell everyone who reads these lines not to hesitate and get up in the mountains, try the homemade breakfast softies, open their laptop and see what wonders their mind will create in this environment free from office barriers.

The material and images are provided by Paysafe

Financial technology giant Block, Inc., the parent company of Cash App and Square, has laid off 931 employees—approximately 8% of its global workforce—according to a leaked internal message obtained and published by TechCrunch. The announcement was made in an email sent to employees by co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey on Tuesday.

In the email, Dorsey outlined that the layoffs are part of broader organizational changes and not tied to financial issues or AI-driven automation. Rather, the move is aimed at streamlining the company’s structure, accelerating performance standards, and aligning with new strategic priorities.

Breakdown of Layoffs

According to Dorsey’s message, the job cuts fall into three categories:

• Strategy: 391 employees are being let go as part of strategic shifts within the company.
• Performance: The largest group—460 employees—are being cut due to underperformance or a trend toward underperformance based on internal metrics.
• Management Restructuring: 80 managerial roles have been eliminated to flatten the company’s hierarchy to what Dorsey calls “innercore+4,” meaning his direct reports and four levels below them. Additionally, 193 managers are being reassigned to individual contributor roles.

The company is also closing 748 open positions, with exceptions made for roles that are in the final stages of the hiring process or deemed critical to operations and leadership.

Not the First Cut

This is not the first significant round of layoffs at Block in recent months. In January 2024, the company reduced its workforce by about 1,000 employees. As of its most recent filing in December 2024, Block reported having roughly 11,300 employees globally.

Despite the magnitude of the layoffs, Dorsey emphasized that they are part of an effort to make the organization more agile and performance-focused.

“We are raising the bar and acting faster on performance,”

he wrote in the internal message, published by the leading tech media.

The full text of Jack Dorsey’s leaked email can be read in TechCrunch’s original publication here.

Block has not yet issued a public comment on the matter, TechCrunch reported.

Image by Mark Warner is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Source: TechCrunch