The global tech industry is facing significant turbulence in 2026, with over 30,000 jobs being cut within the first 40 days of the year. Major players, including Amazon, Salesforce, and Meta, have announced substantial reductions in their workforce. These cuts, which span across companies of varying sizes and sectors, reflect the ongoing challenges faced by the tech industry in adapting to a rapidly changing environment.
Amazon leads with largest layoffs
Amazon announced the most substantial workforce reduction of the year so far, cutting 16,000 roles globally in late January. This marks the company’s second-largest layoff in recent history, following the elimination of 14,000 positions in October last year. Beth Galetti, Amazon’s HR chief, explained in a memo that these cuts were part of a restructuring process begun in 2025, saying, "Teams that didn't finish restructuring in October have now completed the process." She assured employees that while further adjustments may occur due to the fast-changing global landscape, this level of layoffs will not become routine.
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Salesforce, Meta, and others follow suit
Other tech giants also contributed to the early-year wave of layoffs. Salesforce quietly reduced its workforce by nearly 1,000 roles. A report from Business Insider highlighted that affected teams included marketing, product management, data analytics, and the Agentforce AI product. At least nine employees publicly confirmed their layoffs on LinkedIn, and two additional employees provided confirmation to the publication.
Meta announced its decision to cut approximately 1,500 jobs earlier this month. In a shift away from its metaverse division, the company is reallocating resources toward wearables. In an email, a Meta spokesperson explained, "We said last month that we were shifting some of our investment from metaverse toward wearables. This is part of that effort, and we plan to reinvest the savings to support the growth of wearables this year."
Layoffs span a variety of companies and sectors
The wave of layoffs extended beyond the largest tech companies, impacting firms across different sectors and geographical regions. Cloud-based software provider Workday cut 400 jobs, while Autodesk announced 1,000 layoffs. Pinterest reduced its headcount by 700 employees, and travel-focused companies like Expedia and Zillow conducted smaller-scale layoffs, eliminating 200 jobs each.
Europe has not been spared from the turmoil. ASML, headquartered in the Netherlands, announced 1,700 job cuts, while Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson reduced approximately 1,600 roles. Additionally, Germany-based AI company Aleph Alpha eliminated 50 positions.
In Israel, companies such as Playtika, eToro, and StoreDot also reported workforce reductions. Playtika announced layoffs affecting around 500 employees, while eToro cut 105 jobs. StoreDot did not specify the total number of roles impacted.
Layoffs affect startups and smaller firms
Even smaller startups and firms in emerging sectors like cryptocurrency have not been immune to the challenging economic conditions. For instance, Entropy and Polygon both reported job cuts earlier this year. This trend underscores the widespread impact of workforce reductions across organizations of varying sizes and funding levels.
A challenging start to the year for tech workers
As 2026 unfolds, the global tech industry is grappling with widespread restructuring efforts aimed at navigating a fast-evolving business landscape. With over 30,000 roles eliminated so far, this period marks one of the most turbulent starts to a year for the sector. While companies like Amazon and Meta have stated their intent to reinvest in strategic growth areas, the layoffs signal a period of uncertainty and transition for many workers in the tech industry.
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