Women Leaders on Breaking the Crypto Bro Stereotype

Crypto

Women Leaders on Breaking the ‘Crypto Bro’ Stereotype

As we celebrate Womens Day 2025, it becomes imperative on us to sit back and reflect on the long-standing “Crypto Bro” stereotype that has dominated the Web3 industry.

Are only men—the “bros”—leading the crypto landscape？ What about the increasing influence of women in crypto, who are actively transforming the traditionally male-dominated financial markets？ Women are challenging the aggressive trading culture, the exclusionary practices that have favored certain communities, and the harsh dynamics often associated with the “Crypto Bro” mentality.

While this culture may have contributed to early Bitcoin adoption, its exclusionary nature—marginalizing nearly 50% of the global population—is no longer acceptable.

Today, as more women step into leadership roles within crypto firms and blockchain entities, CoinGape engages with these trailblazers to hear their insights on how they are evolving and leading in the Web3 corporate world. Read on to hear out the ‘Women In Crypto, On Crypto.’

Women Thriving in the Security Space

As the recent $1.5 Billion Bybit Hack has made User Security the critical focus for Crypto World, women are leading in the Blockchain Security space too.

Cybersecurity and blockchain security have traditionally been male-dominated fields, but more women are stepping into key roles in fraud detection, compliance, and blockchain forensics. Few such names inlcude Erin Fracolli, Global Head of Intelligence & Investigations at Binance, leading efforts to combat crypto-related financial crime. Carole House, formerly in the U.S. National Security Council, has worked on crypto regulation and security policies. Simone Maini, CEO of Elliptic, the trailblaizing women working with her specialization in blockchain analytics for tracking illicit transactions.

Eve Lam, Chief Information Security Officer at Trust Wallet, says on the rarity of women in security space, “Women in cybersecurity and Web3 often find themselves in male-dominated spaces, but the key isn‘t just hiring more women—it’s creating a culture where they feel valued and truly belong. The great thing about Web3 is that it rewards skills and contributions, not backgrounds.”

Sharing advice for women willing to jump in CryptoSecurity space, CISO Eve continues, “My advice？ Forget gatekeepers and dive in. Web3 is built on open-source projects, meaning you can jump in right now. Find vulnerabilities, report them, and use bug bounty programs to prove your skills. Community also plays a huge role in Web3 and they are incredibly supportive—connect with experts on platforms like X and Telegram, join security groups, and learn from those already making an impact. The future of cybersecurity needs diverse voices, and theres no better time to start than now.”

Notably, as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) of Trust Wallet, Eve oversees the security infrastructure of the platform, ensuring the protection of user assets and blockchain interactions.

Women in the Crypto Founders Community

Since the foundations of the crypto industry are built on decentralization and democratization, it is essential for women to play a key role. Only then can the true realization of blockchain innovation be achieved.

As of 2023, cryptocurrency ownership data shows over 420 million digital currency users worldwide. 37% of these 420 million global crypto holders are women – implying almost close to 155 million women are already engaging in some way or other with the crypto.

Asia alone accounts for 263 million digital currency investors, with India leading with the highest number of crypto investors at 93 million, followed by Vietnam.

Further, according to the latest Web3 Finance Compensation Report, women in Web3 finance earn 46% less than men on average. Though this is significantly higher than in Web2 finance where the pay gap is 39% in the United States and 28% in the United Kingdom, another relevant statistic from Crunchbase says that VC investment in female-founded crypto startups doubled in 2024, but only to reach 7% of all deals, from the low starting point of 3.5% of all deals. To the tragic scenario, Women-founded startups receive only 2% of total venture capital funding, and blockchain is no exception.

Mattie Fairchild, Head of Founder Community at Polygon Labs, says, “Women in Web3 aren‘t ’emerging‘. We’re driving. Coming from gaming, I don‘t get the ”where are all the women？ question. I see badass women leading, hiring, and shaping the space such that we now have a flywheel: more women in leadership means we’re seeing a deeper talent pool. At Polygon Labs, it means we can work with amazing teams like Boys Club and SheFi to bring in even more.`

Mattie further shares her optimism and says, “So the question isn‘t where are the women？ It’s how do we scale what‘s working？ Some rooms still feel like a time capsule (me and 22 dudes, it happens), but the best rooms are showing us the future. Let’s build more of those.”

Previously the CEO and Co-founder of Wacedash Games and been in the industry for more than a decade, Mattie Fairchild is heading the Founder Community at Polygon Labs.

There are many such emerging female co-founders in the Web3 space. One such name is Eva Oberholzer, who has founded Super Sol – Solana‘s first native layer-2 scaling solution designed to supercharge Solana’s capabilities.

In a relatively nascent industry like crypto, where initial capital is often pivotal for scaling and success, the gender disparity in receiving startup funding creates broader inequities, including pay gaps – requiring collaborative efforts from the industry.

Source: Forbes.comIts Not “Men vs Women” But “Men and Women Together”

Although the number of women using and investing in crypto is growing, the job market scenario looks different.

As of the recent data available from 2023, women hold some 26% of all jobs in the crypto industry. Among these only about 6% of the top leadership roles are held by women, with 94% of CEOs being male. And as of 2025, Women face the slash of layoffs harder than men as exemplified by the 2023 market layoffs.

Vivien Lin, Chief Product Officer at BingX & Head of BingX Labs says, “Historically, the cryptocurrency industry has been perceived as male-dominated. However, this perception is gradually shifting, with more women stepping into leadership roles. Female leadership should not be seen as competition; rather, it demonstrates how we, as allies, are collectively strengthening the pursuit of equality in the blockchain space. Its encouraging to witness this trend as it continues to unfold.”

CPO Lin further continues, It is also important to understand that gender affirmation shouldnt pit women and men against each other. Creating an inclusive and open professional environment requires effort and understanding from everyone involved. This includes recognizing that equality means providing the same opportunities and support to all.

Everyones participation is essential in building a workplace where both men and women can thrive together. Meaningful transformation in Web3 will require the collective effort of many, especially women. Society often expects women to excel both professionally and in domestic responsibilities, regardless of their career success. I welcome these challenges because navigating complex situations is part of what brought me here.

BingX CPO Vivien Lin brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her dual roles as Chief Product Officer (CPO) at BingX, a leading cryptocurrency exchange, and Head of BingX Labs. Having nearly a decade of experience in trading, product management, and market development, Vivien has been instrumental in shaping the strategic direction and growth of BingX.

As the Chief Product Officer of BingX, Vivien oversees the development and enhancement of the platforms products and services. Before joining BingX, her professional journey included key roles at renowned financial institutions such as Morgan Stanley, BNP Paribas, and Deutsche Bank, where she focused on forex and equity derivative products.

Authors Vision for Equitable Representation of Women in Crypto

As a female author and editor at CoinGape, I profoundly envision the Web3 industrys development with a strong focus on gender equity alongwith equality. Women possess exceptional critical skills and leadership potential and since blockchain technology and Bitcoin are fundamentally innovative, we must prevent the traditional discriminations of the Web2 era from carrying over into this evolving Web3 space. Given its nascent stage, we still have time to ensure these past biases do not spread root and arms across the crypto fraternity.

For instance, Bitget, a prominent cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 enterprise with women in top roles, such as Gracy Chen (CEO), had introduced the at the World Economic Forum 2024. This initiative, designed to champion gender diversity and inclusivity within the blockchain industry, involved a substantial commitment of $10 million.

Gracy Chen, CEO at Bitget says, “Blockchain remains a male-dominated industry, with women holding only 26% of leadership positions in Web3. This gap shows the need for targeted initiatives like Bitgets $10M Blockchain4Her initiative, which has directly supported over 1,000 women in the past year through funding, mentorship, and networking. By providing $50,000 in grants and launching platforms like Pitch n Slay, we are seeing tangible results—women-led projects are securing capital and scaling in a competitive industry.”

CEO Chen continues, Efforts like these are not just about representation but about measurable change. The Blockchain4Her Ambassador Program has brought together influential female leaders who are actively mentoring and guiding the next generation.

Our mentorship initiative builds on this by pairing aspiring entrepreneurs with those who have successfully navigated the Web3 space.

The introduction of the Blockchain4Her Pin, inspired by cultural traditions, is another step toward making the movement visible and engaging a broader audience beyond digital spaces.

While progress is evident, there is still work to be done. Bitget is committed to improving this figure by backing women-led ventures with capital, strategic support, and industry connections. Our focus remains on delivering real opportunities—whether through funding, education, or strategic partnerships—so that women are not just participants in Web3 but are shaping its future.

To pioneer the ‘Women In Crypto’ Era, expanding women-focused blockchain and cybersecurity education programs is crucial. Additionally, collaborations and initiatives supporting women in Web3—along with recognition for those already leading—are essential to fostering a truly inclusive industry.