According to recent studies, the world of cryptocurrency remains largely male-dominated, with only 21% of crypto owners being women. The numbers are even more discouraging when looking at female ownership of specific cryptocurrencies, with only 15% and 20% of bitcoin and ethereum owners being women, respectively.
Furthermore, of the 121 top crypto companies worldwide, only 5 are led by women. This highlights the significant gender gap in the industry, which has been attributed to various factors, including a lack of education and awareness among women regarding cryptocurrencies, as well as a lack of representation and opportunities for women in leadership positions within the industry.
Despite these challenges, there are growing efforts to increase female participation in the crypto world, including initiatives to provide education and resources for women to learn about cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. Additionally, there are calls for greater diversity and inclusion in the industry, with the recognition that a more diverse workforce can lead to greater innovation and success.
Here are some of the women who have made great headway in the space:
Rachel Siegel
After attending a crypto conference after-party in 2017, Siegel, a former substitute public school teacher in New York City, discovered the world of cryptocurrency.
She started investing around $25 or whatever was left from her weekly paycheck and eventually amassed profits in the lower seven-figure range.
Drawing on her 12 years of experience in film, theater, commercial, and live events marketing and management, Siegel left her teaching job and launched CryptoFinally. Through this platform, she uses YouTube and other social media channels to promote digital currency to a global audience of over 85,000 followers. Siegel’s background in marketing and management has been instrumental in building her brand and establishing herself as a prominent figure in the crypto community. Her success story serves as an inspiration to others looking to enter the world of digital currency.
Leah Wald
Leah Wald is the CEO of Valkyrie, a position she assumed after serving as a Partner at Lucid Investments, an asset management firm where she launched their bitcoin investment arm.
Wald’s impressive career began at the World Bank in the Africa Region. After completing her business degree, she worked as a financial analyst for two of the world’s top-performing multi-billion dollar asset managers, specializing in equity trades, M&A, and LBO opportunities rooted in macroeconomic trends and fundamental analysis. Her work involved reporting directly to the CEO to develop investment strategies on Japan, Asia, and global macro strategy.
Beyond her work in finance, Wald has also co-founded Veterati, an organization that addresses the significant employment challenges facing 1.5 million veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. She also served as a founding economic advisor to Naadam Cashmere, where she helped build their development fund in Mongolia to assist nomadic goat herders. Wald has contributed to Forbes as a writer for the column “Tales From the Front Lines of Female Entrepreneurship” and co-authored the book Hyperwave Theory: The Rogue Waves of Financial Markets. With her extensive experience and accomplishments, Wald is a respected figure in the world of finance and a leading voice for innovation and change.
Lea Thompson
Thompson’s introduction to the world of cryptocurrencies came from a computer-savvy friend who shared his experience of mining digital currency.
Her initial interaction with digital currency came when she used Steemit, a platform that rewards users with a cryptocurrency called Steem for posting content, to upload videos of her playing the ukulele and singing. Additionally, Thompson earned cryptocurrency by writing blogs, which served as a side hustle.
As Thompson learned more about the digital currency and met others in the industry, she began investing $500 to $1,000 per month in Bitcoin and Ethereum. She also became an advocate for cryptocurrencies, encouraging others online to invest in them as well.
In 2019, Thompson launched Girl Gone Crypto, a platform where she creates edutainment videos to make cryptocurrency more accessible and engaging to a broader audience. Her efforts have paid off, as she has amassed a significant following with over 34,600 TikTok followers and more than 15,600 YouTube subscribers. Through her work, Thompson has become a prominent voice in the crypto community, inspiring others to get involved and learn about the exciting possibilities of digital currency.
Diana Biggs
Diana is a well-known expert in the fields of blockchain and fintech and has been featured on several top crypto influencer lists.
As Chief Strategy Officer at DeFi Technologies, she is leading a project that aims to connect traditional financial markets with Web 3.0 and decentralized finance, making financial access more readily available.
Diana’s passion for technology extends to her desire to empower disenfranchised populations, promote access and transparency, and enable economic and financial inclusion. Her work is a testament to her commitment to creating a more equitable and accessible financial system for all. With her expertise and dedication, Diana is a respected figure in the blockchain and fintech communities, and her contributions have helped shape the future of these industries.
Meltem Demirors
Prior to her current role as Chief Strategy Officer at CoinShares, Meltem Demirors worked as a strategy consultant in Deloitte’s Oil and Gas division and served as the Vice President for Development at the Digital Currency Group.
CoinShares, a Jersey-based firm established in 2015, offers advisory services, asset management, capital markets, and venture capital in the digital asset industry. In addition to her work at CoinShares, Demirors founded her own personal cryptofund, Athena Capital.
Demirors is an accomplished educator, having taught at both MIT and Oxford. She also hosts a weekly podcast called “What Grinds my Gears,” where she leads discussions on a variety of topics including finance, technology, and history.
Opportunity
For women I see this as a great opportunity to get involved in the cryptocurrency space. With men still dominating the space, being a women may just give you the edge on making a move into the space.
Cryptocurrency is here to stay, whatever the naysayers might say. So, are you a women interested in crypto, maybe it’s time for a career change?
