The word ‘crypto’ made global headlines towards the end of 2024.
We were told BTC has reached a remarkable all time high crossing $100,000; nations big and small are racing against each other to create strategic reserves of Bitcoin and in the US, the fate of Presidential elections was sealed over crypto.
We have also been told that 2025 is the year of crypto where the sector is set to see massive global adoption and every major player will try to gain a scoop out of it. Crypto is the new money, it is the future and it has arrived in its full blown avatar.
But, what am I missing?
Let me put it out for you- “Where are the women, dude, if 2025 is indeed the year of crypto?”
Amid the cacophony and acts of onanism (pun intended) surrounding crypto, what’s missing, and quite starkly, is the representation of women in this sector.
As this point struck me, I decided to research top women entrepreneurs in the crypto sector. The phrase “ Women on Top in the Crypto community” throws disappointing results on Google search with only a few women crypto investors making the cut.
Yes, we do have women investors in crypto but beyond that, they fare extremely poor when it comes to entrepreneurship, inventions and innovations in crypto. We don’t have leading women developers, coders, and CEOs in crypto as compared to men.
Now, before the usual suspects (misogynists) come hovering around, saying “that’s cause women belong in the kitchen and not in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)”, allow me to remind them that, when given an opportunity, women in STEM have changed the course of human civilization.
The first computer programmer, long before modern computers were even invented, was Ada Lovelace (1815-1852) who famously worked on Charles Babbage’s early mechanical computer. Another brilliant physicist Marie Curie conducted pioneering research on radioactivity in the 19th century. Janaki Ammal, India’s first female plant scientist made immense contributions to the study of botany in India.
The list is long and I will have to transgress from the main topic if I were to shut up every internet troll who questions the ability of women. So, why is there such poor representation of women in crypto?
There were two distinct thoughts that came to my mind, as I pondered over the question. The first one was that, are women playing safe, perhaps too aware of the volatility of crypto markets? Because women prefer to hold traditional financial assets and as per a news report, women in India own more gold than the top 5 countries combined.
That brought me to another question, what if women have tried doing something big in crypto but weren’t allowed or welcomed by the culture of gatekeeping by “crypto bros” and corporations who are insistent on making it a men only space?
If the second thought appears outlandish to you, then you are not aware of the herculean efforts women have made in history to avail basic human rights that include education, healthcare, livelihood means among others.
Historically, Women had to fight for their rights and crypto is no different !
Let’s go a little back in time, where a lot of women had to face gender bias everywhere, starting from her own home, to extended family, relatives and society. And let me tell you, corporate culture was no different. Whether you are a professional or homemaker, women were expected to look after household things, as well.
Why? Because clearly, husbands or men were the bread earner of the house. And hence they should get all the privilege, all the treatment, all the care and respect by everyone. Girls were not allowed to get formal education and even if they did, it came at a huge cost.
But thankfully, times are changing now and women have started realizing their potential and skillset, and started taking stand for themselves. From Making Roti ( Flat bread ) at home till flying a rocket, women have become an unstoppable force.
But then what’s the issue with crypto sector? Perhaps its the culture of gatekeeping and set patriarchal norms that have deprived women their fair share in Bitcoin and other crypto holdings.
Conclusion
Cryptocurrencies operate on a decentralized basis, meaning they were designed for a reason that nothing or no individual, no organization, no government can have absolute control over it and everyone can invest, trade, save or transfer currency on their own at their convenience.
As per research, female investors are increasing in crypto, but they have not yet reached the position of being shot callers. It is high time for women to break the glass ceiling and carve out space for them even if they are pitched against crypto bros who gatekeep. If technology knows no gender bias, then why should we?
