TL;DR:
- Dune has executed a 25% minimize of its workforce, sustaining solvency after capturing 79 million {dollars} in earlier funding rounds.
- The platform has launched Dune MCP, an open-standard server that enables AI brokers to carry out on-chain information queries utilizing pure language.
- Surf, a sector competitor, introduced a $15 million elevate in December 2025 to develop information infrastructure unique to autonomous brokers.
Dune, the info evaluation platform, will lay off 25% of its staff as a part of its restructuring. The objective of this choice is to align the corporate’s operations with the development of AI and the growing demand for institutional monetary providers.
The agency’s co-founder, Fredrik Haga, reported that the group has a stable capital place following the $69.4 million Sequence B accomplished in 2022. The chief added that Dune will retain its full information infrastructure, though it’ll dispense with high-performance profiles to optimize the present value construction.
We’re restructuring Dune to sharpen our focus across the core information merchandise 1000’s of consumers throughout the crypto trade depend on. That sadly means we’ve let 25% of the crew go this week. These are distinctive individuals I can wholeheartedly advocate — ping me when you’re…
— hagaetc (@hagaetc) Might 14, 2026
The transition towards an AI-centered mannequin is supported by the launch of Dune MCP in March 2026. This device capabilities as an open-standard server designed particularly in order that AI brokers can work together with the platform’s information warehouse.
Transformation towards institutional evaluation and AI brokers
As a part of the corporate’s technique, they’ve included the growth of “white glove” providers geared toward conventional monetary establishments. The agency’s report signifies that the target is to facilitate the tokenization of typical belongings akin to shares, bonds, and commodities by way of simplified entry to on-chain information.
At the moment, the Dune ecosystem covers greater than 100 blockchains and provides instruments for question execution and metrics visualization. The current integration of a dbt connector permits technical groups to construct information pipelines immediately on its infrastructure.
Nonetheless, competitors within the crypto information sector elevated following criticism from Ryan Li, co-founder of Surf. Li maintains that the normal mannequin of human-operated dashboards is being surpassed by the necessity for infrastructures constructed for clever brokers that require structured information outputs and quick question engines.
Market information confirms that, on the shut of This fall 2025, Surf raised $15 million, with assist from funds akin to Pantera Capital and Coinbase Ventures. Surf means that its information stack was designed from the first quarter of 2026 with an unique concentrate on the automation of analysis processes.
For its half, Dune’s administration tasks that its tech stack will proceed to be the inspiration for main cryptocurrency firms, regardless of the workers discount. Haga expressed his dedication to actively recommending affected staff to different companies within the sector to mitigate the impression of the restructuring.
The trade is now watching a technical race to dominate AI-based analysis workflows. Whereas Dune adapts an already established platform, new opponents are betting on native techniques for brokers, which may redefine how market information is consumed within the brief time period.
