Rising　sea　levels　are　expected　to　cause　salinization　in　many　historically　low-salinity　tidal　wetlands.　However,　the　response　of　soil　extracellular　enzyme　activities　to　salinization　in　tidal　wetlands　and　their　links　to　soil　organic　carbon　(SOC)　decomposition　are　largely　unknown.　Here,　we　conducted　a　global　meta-analysis　to　examine　the　effect　of　salinization　on　hydrolytic　and　oxidative　carbon-acquiring　enzyme　activities　and　their　relationships　with　SOC　storage　in　tidal　wetlands.　The　results　showed　that　salinization　reduced　hydrolytic　carbon-acquiring　enzyme　activities　by　33%　but　increased　oxidative　carbon-acquiring　enzyme　activities　by　15%.　Meanwhile,　salinization　decreased　SOC　storage　by　14%,　and　the　change　in　SOC　storage　was　negatively　associated　with　oxidative　carbon-acquiring　enzyme　activities.　These　results　indicate　an　important　role　for　oxidative　carbon-acquiring　enzymes　in　SOC　loss　in　tidal　wetlands.　Moreover,　the　effect　of　salinization　on　oxidative　carbon-acquiring　enzyme　activities　logarithmically　declined　with　increasing　salinization,　implying　that　SOC　loss　was　highly　sensitive　to　even　minor　increases　in　salinity　at　the　initial　stage　of　salinization.　Given　increasing　salinization　over　time　with　rising　sea　levels　in　most　global　tidal　wetlands,　our　results　suggest　that　SOC　loss　might　be　greater　during　early　than　later　stages.　Consequently,　salinization-induced　SOC　loss　may　be　overstated　in　the　long　term　if　extrapolations　are　merely　based　on　a　constant　SOC　loss　rate　determined　from　short-term　studies.　Future　modeling　frameworks　should　account　for　this　changing　sensitivity　of　microbially　mediated　SOC　loss　with　increasing　salinization　over　time.　©　2022.　The　Authors.