• Major firms like Amazon and UPS announced large job cuts this week.
• 2025 saw over 1.2 million US layoffs—highest since 2020 crisis.
• Recession fears rise as layoffs historically align with economic downturns.

This week, several major US companies across multiple sectors, including Amazon and Pinterest, announced layoffs.

The moves follow a year of substantial job cuts, during which US employers eliminated roughly 1.2 million positions. Notably, the labor market signals are amplifying concerns about a potential recession.

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Major US Companies Announce Job Cuts in January 2026

On Wednesday, e-commerce giant Amazon cut about 16,000 corporate roles. This follows the elimination of roughly 14,000 positions in October.

In a blog post, Beth Galetti, Amazon’s Senior Vice President of People Experience and Technology, said the layoffs are part of an ongoing effort to “strengthen our organization by reducing layers, increasing ownership, and removing bureaucracy.” The layoffs come as Amazon continues to increase investment in artificial intelligence initiatives.

Pinterest also announced on January 27 that it will cut less than 15% of its staff and scale back its office space. The company said the restructuring is intended to support its AI-related priorities. The process is expected to wrap up by September 30, according to a regulatory filing.

Meanwhile, United Parcel Service said it plans to eliminate up to 30,000 operational roles this year. Nike is also trimming its workforce.

CNBC reported that the company will lay off 775 employees as it looks to improve profitability and expand its use of automation technologies. These are some of the many firms that have announced job cuts in 2026.

Rising Layoffs and Weakening Job Prospects Add to US Recession Concerns

Layoff announcements are relatively common in the first quarter, as companies reassess budgets and staffing needs following year-end results. Nonetheless, when compared with patterns from the previous year, the trend becomes more concerning.

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According to Global Markets Investor, US layoffs rose sharply in 2025, up 58% from the previous year. The increase pushed total job losses to their highest level since the pandemic-era of 2020.

Excluding the extraordinary conditions of 2020, the scale of cuts makes 2025 the most severe year for layoffs since the 2008 financial crisis.

“Historically, such elevated layoff announcements have only appeared during recessions: 2001, 2008, 2009, 2020, and in the post-recession years of 2002 and 2003,” Global Markets Investor posted.

The lengthy job-search period further exacerbates concerns. On average, unemployed workers in the US now take about 11 weeks to find a new job, the longest period since 2021.

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Furthermore, the perceived probability of finding a job fell to a new low of 43.1% in December 2025, down 4.2% from the previous year. These labor market signals have fueled recession concerns among analysts.

“The US lost an average of 22k jobs per month over the last 3 months, the 3rd straight month with a negative 3-month moving average. This is now the 12th time we’ve seen this since 1950. In the 11 previous times the US economy was in a recession,” Charlie Bilello, Chief Market Strategist at Creative Planning, posted.

Henrik Zeberg, Head Macro Economist at Swissblock, also warned that the economy is “heading straight into a recession,” citing labor statistics as a clear indicator.

“We are in the Twillight Zone. Confusion! Just like in Q3, 2007. But – observe the Labor Market – and you will have clarity!,” he wrote.

What Rising Layoffs and Recession Fears Could Mean for Cryptocurrencies

The key question now is how these labor market conditions could affect digital assets. A weakening employment backdrop tends to weigh on risk assets, including cryptocurrencies. As recession concerns intensify, investors often adopt a more defensive posture, reducing exposure to higher-volatility assets.

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This shift is already visible in current market behavior. Precious metals have delivered strong performance, reflecting a preference for traditional safe havens. Yet, Bitcoin has struggled to gain momentum amid broader macroeconomic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions.

At the same time, softer labor conditions can translate into slower income growth, potentially dampening consumer spending. A pullback in spending may further pressure speculative assets, reinforcing a cautious investment environment.

However, some market participants argue that prolonged economic stress could ultimately support digital assets. Expectations of monetary easing, lower interest rates, or renewed liquidity injections during a downturn may improve conditions for cryptocurrencies over the longer term, positioning them as potential beneficiaries once risk appetite begins to recover.

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