Cryptocurrency is in its girl boss era. As a booming $3 trillion industry, it is clear that the digital currency is a global phenomenon that will change our world as we know it, but most crypto users are men. Recently, there have been huge efforts made by female financial analysts, blockchain CEOs and even celebrities who are determined in directing cryptocurrencies away from gender disparity and toward an all-embracing future. 

Exploring gender disparity in the digital universe 

There is a huge gender disparity in the space of cryptocurrency. According to a 2019 study, only 4-6% of people in the crypto industry were women. In recent efforts, however, we are seeing a surge of influential women in the space who are revolutionizing the industry and transforming it wholly into an eclectic, creative and inclusive environment. Although the numbers of women in crypto are drastically lower than that of men, that does not mean it will be that way forever. 

Upon reading an interview with Demi Karanikolaou, a Channel Partner Manager at Google and contributing editor on Technology and Fashion at Harper’s Bazaar Greece, I found myself intrigued by one of her statements– “Women have been faced with discrimination from the beginning of the world, so the digital reality would not be any different because the digital reality is created based on our physical and existing society. That being said, it only makes sense that some of the issues that we are experiencing in our physical life, we’re also going to continue experiencing in the digital life.” It is true that women have had this struggle since the beginning of time, but it is important to think about how far we have come. It is inspiring to live in an era in which many industries are evolving more to lift women up and recognize their achievements. Seeing the hardworking efforts women are taking in order to tackle the gender gaps in not only crypto, but in other fields as well, allows me to believe that the gender disparity problem in crypto doesn’t have to exist forever. In fact, many women are already doing the work to overcome it. 

Ways women are revolutionizing the male-dominated space of crypto

‍She256 is a crypto community that supports diversity and women in blockchain. On their website they say they “fundamentally believe that blockchain technology will shape our future financial and governance structures, and as such it’s crucial that those building these systems are representative of the global, diverse population which they intend to serve.” Currently, they hold mentorship and educational programs in over 40 countries where students who want to learn more about crypto are paired up with professionals who serve as guides and allies. I encourage you to check out the She256 website for more information on these programs. On the creative side, Crypto Besties is launching the first-ever crypto makeup collective. “We’re incentivizing more women and underrepresented groups to join crypto through active learning and ownership,” they said on their Twitter. One crypto community that I have joined recently was BFF, which is a group on Discord for those who are simply crypto-curious. On their website, they highlight web3, a new version of the internet that runs blockchain technology. Web3 is projected to be valued at $10 trillion in the next five years, but, also according to their website, Also according to their website, 81% of its current participants are male. This community was started by over 50 leaders across tech industries and they aim to create one of the largest decentralized brands on the Internet. Earlier this year, celebrities Mila Kunis and Gwenyth Paltrow held a Zoom call that encouraged over 5,000 women to break into the male-dominated field. On the call, they aimed to create a crypto sisterhood, while also elevating women in this growing space. 

Large communities are so important in uplifting women in the world of crypto. It inspires other women to take initiative and be part of a strong group that is positively changing the industry. 

The constantly evolving space of cryptocurrency offers a newfound opportunity for women to shape the future of this transformative industry, their own lives and the lives of others who they inspire. In the coming years, cryptocurrencies will change a number of industries, and women will be a crucial part of the revolution.

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