Messari, a popular crypto market data firm, has laid off some of its staff members as CEO Eric Turner stepped down to make way for Diran Li.

Turner updated on March 16 that he had stepped down from the CEO role and will continue to serve Messari as an advisor. He also shared that the company has laid off many staff members who helped build it over the last eight years.

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CTO Diran Li has stepped into the role of CEO who said that Messari is doubling down as an AI-first company to serve institutions through research and AI products.

Notably, Turner had assumed the CEO role in 2024 after founder Ryan Selkis stepped down amid backlash over controversial remarks…