Much has been said about the supposed disparities in gender equality in all areas of present day life, and Bitcoin is no exception. Statistically speaking Bitcoin can look like quite the “sausage party”. The precise statistics on women in Bitcoin are difficult to determine, as Bitcoin transactions are typically anonymous and gender is not a required piece of information. In my opinion this is one of the beautiful aspects of Bitcoin. It truly doesn’t discriminate.
However, there have been some studies and surveys conducted that shed light on the gender breakdown of Bitcoin users and investors. An eToro survey reports that crypto is the second most widely owned asset for young women 18-34.
According to research platform Triple A, globally, 37% of crypto owners as of November 2022 are women – up from 21% in 2021. A third of women investors planned to buy crypto in 2022, while 24% of those surveyed said they already hold, trade or use crypto.
A statistic I found particularly interesting is that more women crypto users are educated, with 50% having a bachelor or master’s degree, compared to 37% of men. So although we might be underrepresented, those of us that are in the game are at an educational advantage. Furthermore, and I am just going to throw this out there, we are also arguably better-looking ;).
Ahem… Point to exhibit…
- Layah Heilpern,
- Natalie Brunell,
- and Abigail Joy…
Need I say more? Despite our higher education and striking good looks, sadly less than 5% of crypto entrepreneurs and founders are women, an indication that crypto is still very much male-dominated as of 2022. A December 2021 study revealed that out of 121 leading crypto companies, only 5 of them were founded by women. However that is not to say that there is not amazing female leadership in the Bitcoin sphere.
As a woman in this space I need not look far to find powerful and influential role models in this arena.
- Yi He is the co-founder and chief marketing officer of Binance one of the top exchanges in the world. Yi He also reports that 35% of the management team includes women . Elizabeth Stark is the CEO and Co-founder of Lightning Labs. She is helping to build a programmable financial layer to scale Bitcoin transactions and make them faster and more practical.
- Cailtlin Long is the CEO and founder of CustodiaBank and has been in Bitcoin since 2012.
- Cleve Mesidor is the Executive Director of the Blockchain Foundation.
This is just a small handful of amazing women blazing a trail in the Bitcoin and Blockchain space. It’s also worth noting that the overall participation of women in the technology and finance sectors tends to be lower than men, which may be reflected in the relatively low number of women in the Bitcoin community. Efforts are continuously being made to increase diversity and inclusion in the industry which is reflected in the growing number of women leaders and advocates in the Bitcoin space.
Despite the fuss made about inequality in the space, I don’t believe enough attention is given about how Bitcoin has empowered women and brought about freedom.
Consider the story of Afghan woman Roya Mahboob, the first female Afghan tech CEO. She has been named one of Time’s Most Influential People in the world and one of the first entrepreneurs to introduce Bitcoin to Afghanistan. Bitcoin has allowed her to build a tech based business and pay countless female employees with Bitcoin in a country where women typically don’t have financial freedom and power over their finances.
In Afghanistan, women usually have to let their husbands or father control their money and bank accounts, but Bitcoin combined with Mahboob’s efforts has allowed them to have freedom over their own finances because it does not adhere to the rules of any government or patriarchy. So with Bitcoin liberating women in developing countries, it seems there are no excuses for women in the first world from capitalizing on the boundless opportunities that Bitcoin has created.
Ladies, it’s time to take notice of the new emerging technology that is Bitcoin. Bitcoin is a financial revolution and has the potential to change the game when it comes to financial independence and empowerment . It’s no secret that women have historically been disadvantaged in the financial realm. From the gender pay gap to limited access to credit and investment opportunities, women have often been left behind. Bitcoin, however, is an equal opportunity money. It is not bound to any archaic systems of bias or discrimination . Literally Nothing is stopping us.
So, what can women do to capitalize on this new technology?
First of all, educate yourself.
Learn about Bitcoin and how it works. There are countless resources available online, from blogs and forums to podcasts and webinars, even Bitcoin Education Centers such as AmityAge Academy on Roatan (which, by the way, is staffed by 80% women including myself and COO Zussel Ramos) popping up all over the world. By understanding the philosophy and technology behind Bitcoin, you’ll be better equipped to participate in the revolution.
Second, get involved.
There are numerous ways to participate in the Bitcoin ecosystem, from buying and holding Bitcoin as an investment to using it to make purchases or even accepting it as payment for your own products or services. By actively engaging with Bitcoin, you’ll be part of a growing community that is challenging the traditional financial system and creating new opportunities for financial freedom.
And finally, be bold.
Don’t be afraid to take risks and try new things. Bitcoin is still a relatively new technology, and there’s a lot of room for building innovation, development and experimentation. By being willing to take chances and explore new possibilities, you’ll be at the forefront of a movement that is changing the way we think about money. Bitcoin has the potential to offer women new career paths, roles of innovation and empowerment.
By educating ourselves, getting involved, and being bold, we can capitalize on this opportunity and create a better financial future for ourselves and the next generations of women. So go hug your man and buy some Bitcoin.
As if all the above reasons weren’t persuasive enough, men love a woman with a big ra… stack!
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