Women Leading the Crypto Revolution: Trailblazers in Blockchain and Web3 in 2022

Is the crypto world still a ‘boys club’? Think again! 2022 witnessed a remarkable surge in women not just participating in the cryptocurrency and blockchain space, but actively leading and shaping its future. In a sector often perceived as male-dominated, women stepped up, driving innovation and demonstrating that the future of crypto is diverse, inclusive, and incredibly bright.

Why is Women’s Growing Presence in Crypto a Big Deal?

The increasing participation of women in cryptocurrency and blockchain is more than just a demographic shift; it signals a crucial maturation of the industry. Here’s why it matters:

• Diversity of Thought: Women bring fresh perspectives and ideas, challenging the status quo and fostering innovation that resonates with a broader audience, including previously underrepresented groups.
• Wider Adoption: As crypto aims for mainstream adoption, the involvement of women, who represent a significant portion of the global population, is crucial. Their participation can help bridge the gap and make crypto more accessible and appealing to everyone.
• Industry Growth: More diverse teams are often more creative and effective. Having women in leadership roles contributes to a healthier, more dynamic, and ultimately more successful crypto industry.

In 2022, amidst the buzz around Decentralized Finance (DeFi), GameFi, Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), and Web3, numerous women not only participated but also spearheaded groundbreaking projects. Let’s shine a spotlight on some of these inspiring figures who made significant waves.

Meet the Women Shaping Crypto in 2022

Nodira Sadikova, a Web3 venture capitalist, highlighted this exciting trend in a conversation with Cointelegraph, noting the rise of a new generation of talented women under 30 making significant contributions. She pointed to individuals like:

• Nastya Moroz: Empowering women through crypto trading and investment courses.
• Daria Lomova: An art advisor and curator bringing digital art exhibitions to the forefront.
• Stella Friaisse: A crypto podcaster and event organizer, fostering community and conversation.

But the impact goes far beyond just emerging talent. Established leaders continued to break barriers and drive innovation. Let’s explore the contributions of some key figures:

Elizabeth Stark: Scaling Bitcoin for a Faster Future

Elizabeth Stark, co-founder and CEO of Lightning Labs, is a pioneer in blockchain scaling solutions. Recognizing early on the limitations of Bitcoin’s transaction speed, she championed the Lightning Network (LN). Think of the Lightning Network as a high-speed side road for Bitcoin transactions, making them significantly faster and cheaper than on the main Bitcoin blockchain.

Key Contributions:

• Lightning Labs: Her company develops products and services built on the Lightning Network, facilitating micropayments and faster Bitcoin transactions.
• Micropayment Innovation: Lightning Network enables efficient bidirectional micropayment channels, revolutionizing how small, frequent transactions can be processed.
• Industry Leadership: Beyond Lightning Labs, Stark is a fellow at Coin Center, a leading crypto policy non-profit, and an advisor to Chia, a blockchain focused on energy-efficient mining.
• Academic Background: Her expertise is rooted in a strong academic background, having lectured on peer-to-peer networks at Stanford and Yale before venturing into crypto entrepreneurship.
• Real-World Impact in 2022: In 2022, Lightning Network infrastructure expanded its reach, supporting diverse applications, including transcontinental Bitcoin-to-fiat currency exchanges.

Kathleen Breitman: Building a Robust Blockchain with Tezos

Kathleen Breitman, co-founder and CEO of Dynamic Ledger Solutions, is the driving force behind the Tezos blockchain protocol. A Cornell University graduate, Breitman aimed to address the scalability issues and high gas fees plaguing earlier cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum with Tezos, a proof-of-stake blockchain.

Key Contributions:

• Tezos Protocol: She spearheaded the development of Tezos, now a top 50 cryptocurrency with a market cap exceeding $700 million.
• Strategic Vision: Despite the 2022 crypto market downturn, Breitman and her team made strategic decisions to position Tezos for long-term success.
• Asian Market Expansion: A key achievement in 2022 was the listing of Tezos’s native token (XTZ) on Coinbase Japan, paving the way for increased adoption in the rapidly growing Asian crypto market.
• Prior Experience: Breitman’s background includes senior strategy roles at R3, a prominent financial services firm, and experience at Bridgewater Associates, Accenture, and The Wall Street Journal, bringing a wealth of business acumen to the crypto space.

Meltem Demirors: Bridging Traditional Finance and Digital Assets

Meltem Demirors serves as the Chief Strategy Officer at CoinShares, a leading digital asset investment firm. Based in New York, Demirors is instrumental in breaking down barriers to digital asset investment.

Key Contributions:

• Strategic Leadership: As Chief Strategy Officer and board director, she guides CoinShares’ venture strategy and overall growth.
• Growth and Expansion: Under her leadership, CoinShares has experienced significant growth, with assets under management in exchange-traded products rising substantially.
• Industry Expertise: Prior to CoinShares, Demirors was Vice President at Digital Currency Group, further solidifying her deep understanding of the digital asset landscape.
• Advocacy and Education: Demirors is a prominent voice in the crypto space, often speaking and writing about the intersection of traditional finance and digital assets, helping to educate and inform a wider audience.

Neha Narula: Making Crypto Understandable for Policymakers

Neha Narula directs the Digital Currency Initiative at the MIT Media Lab, a hub for blockchain research and innovation. With a Ph.D. in computer science from MIT, her expertise lies in building scalable blockchain solutions and databases.

Key Contributions:

• Research Leadership: She leads a prominent research initiative at MIT, pushing the boundaries of blockchain technology.
• Scalable Solutions: Her academic work and research focus on creating robust and scalable blockchain infrastructure.
• Policy Influence: Narula’s ability to articulate complex crypto concepts clearly has made her a respected voice, advising US policymakers on digital currencies and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).
• CBDC Collaboration: She is actively involved in collaborations with financial institutions, including the Boston Fed, to explore the development and impact of digital currencies.
• Public Engagement: With a significant social media following, Narula effectively communicates the importance of decentralized technologies to a broad audience.

Perianne Boring: Advocating for Crypto Innovation and Sensible Policy

Perianne Boring, founder and president of the Chamber of Digital Commerce, is a powerful advocate for the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry. With a business administration degree from UF, she established the world’s largest blockchain trade association to champion the adoption and growth of digital assets.

Key Contributions:

• Industry Advocacy: The Chamber of Digital Commerce, under her leadership, plays a vital role in promoting industry growth, investment, and innovation by advocating for favorable policies and regulations.
• Media Presence: Boring is a frequent commentator on cryptocurrency and blockchain in major financial media outlets, raising awareness and shaping public discourse.
• Policy Opposition: In 2022, she actively voiced her opposition to discriminatory policies, such as New York’s crypto mining ban, demonstrating her commitment to a fair and supportive regulatory environment.
• Media Background: Her prior experience as an anchor for “Prime Interest,” a global finance program, honed her communication skills and provided a platform to reach a vast audience.

Amber Baldet: Making Decentralized Applications User-Friendly

Amber Baldet, CEO and co-founder of Clovyr, is focused on improving the usability of decentralized applications. She is also a board member of the Zcash Foundation, dedicated to building privacy-focused blockchain infrastructure.

Key Contributions:

• Clovyr Platform: Her company develops tools to simplify the development and use of decentralized applications, addressing a key challenge in Web3 adoption.
• Privacy Advocacy: Her involvement with the Zcash Foundation highlights her commitment to privacy-enhancing technologies within the blockchain space.
• Enterprise Blockchain Experience: Prior to Clovyr, Baldet led JPMorgan’s blockchain efforts, overseeing the development of Quorum, a permissioned blockchain platform.
• Collaboration and Innovation: She co-founded Clovyr with Patrick Nielson, a former lead developer of Quorum, bringing together expertise in both enterprise and decentralized blockchain solutions.

The Future is Female and Decentralized

These are just a few examples of the incredible women who are not only participating in the crypto and blockchain revolution but are actively leading it. Their diverse backgrounds, expertise, and visions are shaping a more inclusive and innovative future for the industry. As we move forward, it’s clear that women will continue to play a pivotal role in driving the growth and adoption of decentralized technologies, ensuring that the promise of crypto and Web3 is realized for everyone.