By
Steve Muchoki
April 25th, 2024
Coinspeaker is highlighting a distinguished group of women who have and continue to play key roles in the male-dominated crypto sector.
Crypto and all its paraphernalia are fast changing the world as we know it. There is a surge in the growth of crypto-related activities, such as digital currencies and non-fungible tokens. There is also a steady growth of businesses that offer supporting and facilitative services, including exchanges – and most recently, traditional financial institutions. However, for all the rave about crypto, there is a noticeable quirk. The emerging space of digital currencies is mainly male-dominated. Recent research from eToro reveals that only 15% of Bitcoin traders are women. Despite this apparent gender imbalance, some indicators already hint at future female involvement in crypto. A Gemini report suggests that 40% of people considering crypto investments are women.
Furthermore, there is already a growing group of women currently playing key roles in the crypto space. These women occupy a range of influential positions across the board, from crypto journalist to CEO. This growing high-profile female representation is crucial for change enactment at every level of the industry.
Some of the most influential women in crypto are:
Hester Peirce, SEC Commissioner
Peirce is leveraging her position with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to lay the regulatory foundation for crypto. Affectionately called ‘Crypto Mom’ in the sector, she currently works alongside Commission Chair, Gary Gensler in delivering a regulatory framework.
Hester Peirce is currently serving her second five-year term as SEC Commissioner and has received praise for her drive to bring clarity to the crypto sector. Peirce sees crypto as a catalyst for innovation in the finance space.
Maria Pennanen, Co-founder of Accelerator Frankfurt
Pennanen previously served as CEO of Santiment, a crypto/blockchain startup. In 2020, she founded and is now the CEO of Mindclip Behavior, a software tool that helps companies get the best of their teams by understanding behavior. Pennanen has over 20 years of entrepreneurship experience, and played an advisory role to scores of startups. She was honored as the leading FinTech influencer in the German-speaking world in 2018.
Galia Benartzi, Co-Founder of Bancor Protocol
Benartzi is another tech entrepreneur, who co-founded Bancor in 2017. The company is a standard for decentralized exchange networks that allows for the automated conversion of cryptocurrency tokens into other tokens. Benartzi played a key role in Bancor’s success, and Forbes once listed her in Europe’s Top 50 Women in Tech list.
Leanne Kemp, Founder and CEO of Everledger
In 2015, Kemp founded Everledger and presently serves as its CEO. The company assists various stakeholders in combating fraudulent practices and financial impropriety.
Kemp has 20 years of experience in tech, and worked with RFID tracking, supply chains, and advertising. She currently sits on the board for the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) blockchain council. This is in addition to being a Blockchain Expert Policy Advisory Board for OECD.
Laura Shin, Former Forbes Senior Editor, Current Crypto Journalist
Shin used to serve as Senior Editor at Forbes, covering crypto assets, Bitcoin, and blockchain technology in general. She is currently a crypto journalist, and a world-renowned crypto influencer as of 2021.
Shin has podcasts named Unchained and Unconfirmed, which dissect crypto matters.
Zoe Adamovicz, Co-founder and CEO of Neufund
Adamovicz runs Neufund, an inclusive blockchain-based platform for investors. Over the last 20 years, Adamovicz has played several disparate key roles, including founding several startups and advising the German and Maltese governments on digitization. In 2018, she was one of Forbes’ ‘Five Female Rock Stars Leading the Crypto Scene’ in 2018.
Ria Bhutoria, Fidelity Digital Assets Research Director
Bhutoria uses her current position at Fidelity Digital Assets to provide insightful analysis of crypto market events. She also helps to allay some of the criticism directed at digital currencies.
Bhutoria created the “FUD Fort”, a compilation of articles that addresses crypto issues. On her Twitter page, Bhutoria shares nuggets of financial and crypto-related advice.