The world of blockchain technology was initially predominantly male. But the industry continues to expand and develop, as does the representation of women in it. While research shows that women still make up a small percentage of the community, they are demonstrating an increasing contribution to the crypto industry.
Even though the largest projects are founded and led by men, there are still several powerful female-founded initiatives. World of Women (WoW), Alpha Girl Club, and Women Tribe have all achieved significant success by demonstrating the pioneering contributions of women. To understand more about the challenges faced by women in the crypto industry, we asked LaPetiteADA, a co-founder of VAULT3 and SPO of GranADA, to tell us how she made her way.
Q: Firstly, can you share with us how you decided to get involved in the crypto space? And how long have you been doing this?
Answer:
I have been hearing about cryptocurrencies for years. In 2020, after researching and consulting with some expert friends, I decided to invest in BTC and ETH. Later, after watching Charles Hoskinson’s famous whiteboard video, I learned more about the problems that the first blockchain prototypes weren’t solving. So, I decided to invest in third-generation ecosystems like Cardano and focus my crypto portfolio on new technologies that are more robust, scalable, and secure.
In 2022, my friends recommended that I open a Twitter account if I wanted to learn more about crypto and stay up to date. I’m really glad I took their advice because I’ve read and learned so much about this innovative and cutting-edge technology, and I even ended up becoming a content creator, stake pool operator, and I even co-founded a web3 project called VAULT3!
Q: Do you have a favorite altcoin and if so, which one is it?
Answer:
My preferred altcoin is ADA, but I also like other blockchains and I believe that the future will be multichain. I chose Cardano due to its solid foundations, including a robust and secure infrastructure, and a vibrant community, and it has been recently categorized as the most decentralized L1 ecosystem by the University of Edinburgh. Also, Cardano is leading the way in blockchain governance, and its mission to bank the unbanked and create financial inclusion, especially with impactful initiatives in Africa, makes ADA stand out for me.
Which of the influential persons in the sphere of blockchain technologies do you follow and read?
Q: Which of the influential persons in the sphere of blockchain technologies do you follow and read?
Answer:
It’s difficult to highlight a few among so many inspiring individuals to choose from. I follow and enjoy reading the content of Charles Hoskinson, Vitalik Buterin, Changpeng Zhao, Gavin Wood, and Aleksandra Huk. What’s truly important, is to appreciate the positive contributions of each and learn from them. The vibrant and supportive community behind crypto is what inspires me the most. It’s filled with brilliant, creative, and enthusiastic minds, and their passion and dedication are very contagious!
Q: Have you ever experienced discrimination in the industry?
Answer:
When I started my crypto journey, most people, women included, believed I was someone who set up a fake online profile to trick people and get money out of them. This is something most women have to face when they enter the industry. However, once people notice authenticity, goodwill, hard work, and consistency, they change their beliefs and assumptions. I’ve seen a lot of men get frustrated seeing women having success in crypto Twitter. I understand that sometimes it might be unfair, as often men are more keen to follow female content creators, but it’s also unfair that this leads to negative assumptions about women’s abilities, leadership style, and commitment to work. So, it’s normal for women to face stereotypes and biases, and to be underestimated. But I believe this will change with time as more women join the space. Together, we can break down barriers and create a more inclusive future for everyone.
Q: Are there any challenges for women that you would like to highlight?
Answer:
Imagine diving into the world of crypto with a background in dentistry. I don’t consider myself a techy person, so one of the challenges was understanding unfamiliar and complex terms. But a lot of reading, asking the right people the right questions, seeking advice, and “getting my hands dirty”, helped me to navigate and understand the space and the tech way better. Finally, investing my free time and effort to learn about blockchain was very challenging, but it was a rewarding process!
Q: In your opinion, is it important for women to be involved in the industry, and if so, why?
Answer:
Every woman should have the chance to control her wealth and achieve financial freedom, especially in very conservative countries where women are not even allowed to be economically independent. I strongly believe that cryptocurrencies will play a significant role in achieving these goals. While the crypto world has been a “boys club” for a while, I believe the Crypto community is very inclusive, and there are more and more amazing and talented women joining the ecosystem. The blockchain industry consists of brilliant minds, both men and women, but more lady power is always welcome, and diversity drives innovation!
Q: Can you give some advice to other women who wish to work in the crypto industry?
Answer:
Dive in, ladies! It might be a bit frustrating, scary, and difficult initially, but trust me if I could do it with my zero-tech background, so can you. Empower yourself, be confident to ask enough times until you understand everything, and most of all, have fun with it!
LaPetiteADA’s words emphasize that everyone can succeed despite any obstacles. The industry has repeatedly shared success stories of outstanding people who started their journey from scratch and without the necessary resources.
An example is the story of Rachel Siegel, the founder of Crypto Finally, who invested in cryptocurrency and became a millionaire, showing that even people with modest incomes can achieve significant financial success through cryptocurrency investments.
Or the history of the founder of the WhiteBIT crypto exchange, Volodymyr Nosov, who did not have rich parents and a brilliant education, but continued to work hard day after day and achieved the height.
Another great example is Catherine Wood. The founder of ARK Invest still faces many challenges along the way. However, the woman does not give up, instead, she continues to fight and inspire a new generation of investors with her innovative approach to investing.
As well as Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum. Buterin’s journey began in 2011 when he learned about Bitcoin but didn’t have the funds to buy it. So before creating the Ethereum concept, he wrote articles for Bitcoin magazine, earning a few coins per article.
All of these stories only emphasize that there is no need to be afraid, and regardless of gender, a person who continues to work hard will always reach heights.
Deniz Tutku