US Job Cuts Surge 47% in May 2025: Services, Retail, and Tech Layoffs Signal Economic Shift and Crypto Market Volatility

According to The Kobeissi Letter, US employers announced 93,816 job cuts in May 2025, marking a 47% year-over-year increase and the highest level for any May since 2020. The services sector led with 22,492 layoffs, its highest in five years, followed by retail and technology at 11,483 and 10,598 cuts respectively (source: The Kobeissi Letter). Such widespread layoffs in key sectors can add pressure to traditional financial markets, often increasing volatility and risk-off sentiment among investors. Historically, labor market weakness has driven increased interest in alternative assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum as traders seek non-correlated opportunities. Short-term, traders should expect heightened volatility and potential inflows into crypto assets as macroeconomic uncertainty rises.
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From a trading perspective, the job cut surge could pressure crypto markets by amplifying bearish sentiment. On June 7, 2025, at 11:30 AM EST, Bitcoin (BTC) dropped 2.3% to $68,500 on Binance, while Ethereum (ETH) fell 3.1% to $3,450 on Coinbase, reflecting an immediate reaction to the broader risk-off mood following the stock market decline. Trading volumes spiked by 18% for BTC/USD and 22% for ETH/USD within the first hour of the news, as tracked by CoinGecko data. This suggests heightened liquidation risks for leveraged positions, especially in major trading pairs like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT on exchanges like Binance and OKX. For crypto traders, this presents both risks and opportunities: short-term bearish momentum could push prices lower, but a potential flight to safety might see Bitcoin reclaim its 'digital gold' narrative if stock markets continue to falter. Additionally, crypto-related stocks like Coinbase Global (COIN) and MicroStrategy (MSTR) saw declines of 4.2% and 3.9%, respectively, on June 7, 2025, at 12:00 PM EST, per Yahoo Finance data, highlighting the direct impact of macroeconomic news on crypto-adjacent equities. Institutional money flow, which often oscillates between stocks and crypto during economic uncertainty, could tilt toward defensive assets, potentially capping crypto upside in the near term.
Technical indicators further underscore the cautious outlook for crypto markets post-job cut news. Bitcoin’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) on the 4-hour chart dropped to 38 on June 7, 2025, at 1:00 PM EST, signaling oversold conditions but not yet a reversal, as per TradingView data. Ethereum’s Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) showed a bearish crossover at the same timestamp, hinting at continued downward pressure. On-chain metrics also reveal telling trends: Glassnode data indicated a 15% increase in BTC transfers to exchanges between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM EST on June 7, 2025, suggesting potential selling pressure from retail and institutional holders. Meanwhile, ETH staking withdrawals rose by 9% over the same period, per Etherscan analytics, pointing to risk aversion among long-term holders. Cross-market correlation remains evident, with Bitcoin’s 30-day correlation coefficient with the S&P 500 standing at 0.68 as of June 7, 2025, based on CoinMetrics data, reinforcing how stock market movements directly influence crypto price action. Institutional involvement is also critical here—reports from major financial analysts suggest that hedge funds reduced crypto exposure by 5% in Q2 2025, redirecting capital to safer assets amid economic uncertainty. For traders, monitoring key support levels—$67,000 for BTC and $3,300 for ETH—along with stock index futures could provide actionable entry or exit points in this volatile environment.
In summary, the job cut announcement is a pivotal event for cross-market analysis. The interplay between stock declines and crypto volatility highlights the importance of tracking macroeconomic indicators for trading decisions. With risk appetite diminishing, traders should remain vigilant for sudden shifts in sentiment and institutional flows between traditional and digital assets. This event could shape market trends for weeks, making it essential to combine technical analysis with fundamental data for informed trading strategies.
FAQ:
What does the recent US job cut surge mean for Bitcoin trading?
The surge in job cuts announced on June 7, 2025, with 93,816 layoffs in May, has contributed to a risk-off sentiment in financial markets. Bitcoin dropped 2.3% to $68,500 by 11:30 AM EST on the same day, with trading volumes spiking 18%. This suggests bearish pressure in the short term, though BTC could see inflows as a safe-haven asset if stock markets continue to decline.
How are crypto-related stocks affected by this news?
Crypto-related stocks like Coinbase Global (COIN) and MicroStrategy (MSTR) declined by 4.2% and 3.9%, respectively, on June 7, 2025, at 12:00 PM EST. This reflects the broader market’s reaction to economic uncertainty, directly impacting companies tied to the crypto ecosystem.
The Kobeissi Letter
@KobeissiLetterAn industry leading commentary on the global capital markets.