MEGA cuts 20% of staff and pivots toward AI inference products
MEGA, formerly known as MegaETH Foundation, has cut 20% of its staff and is shifting strategy toward building its own products, starting with AI inference.
The organization formerly known as the MegaETH Foundation is putting $30 million toward first-party products as its network's TVL slides. MEGA has cut 20% of its staff as part of a broader restructuring, confirmed by co-founder Shuyao Kong on November 13, 2026.
Staff Changes
The layoffs mainly affected people working on early chain development, wallet development and ecosystem support. Those roles represent the scaffolding of a young network: building the base layer, making it usable, and courting outside projects to build on top.
The people who designed the core system will remain intact, according to the research findings. The core founders and the engineering team will stay with the organization during this transition.
Strategic Shift
MEGA has set aside $30 million from its existing treasury for new products on the MegaETH network. This is a reallocation of money already on hand rather than a fresh raise. The first product on the list is a public AI inference marketplace, which MEGA plans to launch in December 2026.
Network Transformation
MegaETH is an Ethereum Layer 2 network - separate systems that process transactions off Ethereum's main chain, then settle back to it, with the goal of making activity faster and cheaper. The restructuring changes that posture.
MEGA wants to become a tenant in its own building, developing first-party products that showcase what the underlying technology can do. The rebrand from MegaETH Foundation to MEGA reflects that broader change in vision.
TVL Decline
MegaETH's TVL peaked above $245 million in May 2026. It has since fallen to approximately $12 million, and by some recent readings even less. The MEGA token itself premiered on exchanges on April 30, 2026.
Token Implications
For MEGA token holders, the pivot cuts both ways. The $30 million commitment signals that leadership is willing to spend real resources to find a use case that brings activity back to the network. An AI inference marketplace, if it gains traction, would give MegaETH something it currently lacks: a reason for users to show up that the team controls directly.
The risks are just as clear. A 20% staff reduction narrows the team at the exact moment it is taking on a new product line. Ecosystem support was one of the functions cut, which could make it harder to attract outside builders even if the marketplace works.
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