Beyond the 'Crypto Bros': Women Make Their Mark in Web3

Int'l Business Times

14-05-2025

Let's be honest, the image of the typical "cryptocurrency enthusiast" was, for a long time, distinctly male—think "Crypto Bro," maybe talking fast about complex tech. While that picture had some truth to it, especially back in the day, it never really showed the full reality: women have always been involved in crypto, and now their numbers and impact are really starting to show.
You see, even though crypto promised a decentralized world open to everyone, the early days often looked a lot like traditional tech and finance, with similar gender gaps. Fewer women were visible as investors, founders, or developers. But that story's definitely changing. Thanks to determined individuals, specific programs pushing for inclusion, and the simple fact that blockchain needs diverse ideas, women aren't just showing up—they're increasingly taking the reins, building new things, and investing in the future of Web3. Binance's Rachel Conlan: It's a Myth That Women Aren't in Web3
One person actively challenging that outdated image is Binance CMO Rachel Conlan. At a recent Binance event during Token2049, she hit the nail on the head regarding the perception of women in the space. "That there aren't women in Web3, that's the biggest misconception," Conlan declared. She pointed to Binance's own team as proof of change, mentioning that women account for 45% of their staff worldwide.
Conlan, leveraging her extensive background in traditional marketing within the high-speed crypto environment, is clearly driven to help reshape the industry. She laid out two key goals she's personally focused on: "One is bringing more women into work in this industry, to build, to develop... The second part is ensuring that we get more women holding, trading, learning, investing." Her point is blunt: "We do not want this to be another financial revolution where females get left behind." For her, cracking this involves making crypto more accessible through community and education, and maybe even making it a bit more entertaining—less intimidating, basically.
Still, Conlan's positive view bumps up against some tough industry-wide numbers. Yes, more women own crypto now—Triple-A suggested they made up 39% of global owners in 2024, a huge leap from themeager 8.5% back in 2018. But getting into leadership? That's still a steep climb.
A HRReview article showed that only about 6% of crypto company CEOs were women. Startups founded by women? They were getting just a tiny slice (somewhere between 3.5% and 7% , depending on the source) of the venture capital pie. On top of that, reports indicate a significant pay gap for women in Web3 finance roles, possibly worse than in traditional finance, and female experts still struggle for visibility in the media or on influencer lists. So, Have Women Really Found Their Place in Web3?
With all that in mind, have women truly cemented their place in Web3? It feels like the answer is an emphatic "Yes" but there's still plenty of work ahead. You can't deny the progress, but reaching real equality is going to take continued focus.
Women are actively creating their own spaces, building valuable networks, and leading significant projects, often using the decentralized tools crypto offers. People like Clara Bullrich, who helps run women-centric DAOs like Komorebi, are perfect examples of this push to build supportive ecosystems from the ground up.
Education is playing a huge part in opening doors. Binance, for instance, has rolled out several programs specifically designed to get more women involved. The company's Binance Women in Technology Academy in Turkey, working with Wtech, offers training on everything from blockchain basics and AI to NFTs and cybersecurity, with a goal to train 5,000 women over the next five years. Similarly, the exchange's Blockchain for Women Bootcamp in Africa , in partnership with Utiva, gave 300 women (chosen from 3,000 applicants) intensive training focused on landing actual jobs in the crypto field.
Efforts like these, plus global networking events around International Women's Day and highlighting female community leaders (like the Binance Angels), directly target the known roadblocks: lack of specific knowledge, not having the right connections, and a shortage of visible role models. As Sheila Warren, who previously headed the Crypto Council for Innovation, pointed out , deep-seated cultural ideas about who gets to take risks or be "good at tech" need active challenging. It's about more than just opening the door; it's about making sure the room is welcoming and set up for everyone to succeed.
When you look at the whole picture, women aren't just finding some spot in Web3; they're actively shaping it. Yes, big challenges like the gaps in leadership and funding are still very real. But the clear increase in female investors, developers, marketers, and founders—fueled by dedicated efforts from organizations like Binance and countless others—marks a significant change. The industry seems to be waking up to the fact that real decentralization and widespread adoption mean everyone needs to be involved. Getting to full equality won't happen overnight, but the foundation is definitely being built, one block at a time.