Silicon Valley has long been the domain of tech giants and bro-culture, where women have struggled to find a seat at the table. But in the crypto world, women are forging a new, empowering space where they can succeed. From establishing their own companies to leading positions at top platforms, women in crypto are making bold moves, creating new ventures and shaping the future of digital currency.
In celebration of International Women’s Day, let’s discuss the stories of these 10 women who have said “no” to Silicon Valley and “yes” to crypto, revolutionizing the male-dominated world of finance. Their journeys offer inspiring stories of resilience, risk-taking, and the undeniable power of women in crypto.
The state of women in crypto
Women in blockchain are making significant strides, even though the road to success has not been an easy one. And there is a silver lining: Research from 2024 conducted by Pantera Capital suggests women are out-earning men in the crypto world, which indicates a move toward greater gender equality in this area.
Despite this, the industry is male-dominated at the leadership level, with only 7% of Web3 founders being women and 27% of staff in top crypto startups being female, according to Boston Consulting Group.
This level of underrepresentation in positions of power speaks volumes about the barriers that pervade the sector. However, women in blockchain are seizing opportunities and shaping the future of digital finance, proving that innovation and grit are not gender-specific, even in such masculine corners of the market.
Did you know? As of 2024, 69% of crypto owners identify themselves as males, leaving just 31% for women — a statistic highlighting the ongoing gender gap, according to Gemini’s “2024 Global State of Crypto Report.”
The women who embraced crypto
These 10 women in Web3 have turned away from Silicon Valley’s well-trodden path to build the future of finance, tech and policy in crypto, proving that innovation doesn’t follow just one road.
1. Galia Benartzi
Galia Benartzi is a force among women in the DeFi field. She co-founded Bancor, pioneering the automated market maker (AMM) in the crypto market. Bancor has handled over $2 billion in token swaps, making crypto more accessible. After selling two startups, she dove into crypto, leading a $153 million ICO.
Following a $13.5 million hack back in 2018, she fought back by launching the Crypto Defenders Alliance. Benartzi isn’t just building DeFi but is shaping its future and pushing for a fairer financial system on global stages.
2. Lily Liu
As president of the Solana Foundation, Lily Liu is one of the key women shaping the future of layer 1 blockchain and the crypto space we know today. Liu’s leadership was pivotal in the Solana blockchain’s two-year comeback, culminating in Solana (SOL) reaching a record high in November 2024.
Liu’s background spans from chief financial officer roles in the US and China to co-founding Earn.com, later acquired by Coinbase, showcasing her dynamic leadership. Her influence extends beyond Solana. She’s also a board member of Ledger, a founding team member of Osmosis and an adviser to Brave.
3. Elizabeth Stark
Elizabeth Stark is a key figure propelling the future of Bitcoin (BTC) and layer-2 blockchain, building solutions that make transactions faster, cheaper and more scalable. As the co-founder and CEO of Lightning Labs, she has played a key role in developing the Lightning Network. Her work on Taproot Assets (TARO) is helping shape Bitcoin into a multi-asset network.
Stark’s impact is not limited to technology. She’s an advocate for decentralization, open-source development and financial freedom.
4. Caitlin Long
Caitlin Long is among the strongest voices advocating for crypto and mainstream banking bridging. A former Wall Street veteran turned crypto evangelist, she saw the limitations of traditional financial systems firsthand and aimed to fix them through blockchain.
As the founder and CEO of Custodia Bank, she has been an unrelenting advocate for regulatory certainty and financial stability in the crypto sector. From drafting Wyoming’s pioneering blockchain legislation to rolling out a Bitcoin custody platform in 2023, Long’s efforts are helping transform the future of banking into something transparent, equitable and fit for the digital age.
5. Ophelia Snyder
As co-founder of 21Shares, Ophelia Snyder pioneered the launch of the world’s first crypto exchange-traded product (ETP) in 2018, making crypto accessible to mass investors. Under her guidance, 21Shares has grown into a multibillion-dollar company, spearheading the creation of Bitcoin ETFs.
As co-founder and president of 21.co, Snyder has been a key figure on the front line of setting up Bitcoin wrapper and several ETFs, building the future and institutionalizing trust in the crypto space.
Did you know? The “crypto bro” term became mainstream during Bitcoin price volatility in 2018 when dedicated enthusiasts dismissed the danger of a financial bubble and urged others to “buy the dip.” As the market plummeted, social media mocked their blind enthusiasm, cementing the stereotype of the risk-taking male crypto enthusiasts often compared to Silicon Valley’s “tech bros.”
6. Laura Shin
Laura Shin’s journalistic journey is a story of passion, perseverance and a deep curiosity about the financial world. Since 2015, Shin has been a trailblazer in making crypto and blockchain accessible to a global audience through her books and podcast.
Starting as a senior editor at Forbes, she became the first mainstream journalist to cover crypto full-time. Known for her sharp questions and ability to break down complex topics, Shin’s work has touched millions and inspired the next generation of writers and thinkers.
7. Perianne Boring
Perianne Boring is one of the top voices when it comes to blockchain advocacy and regulation. As founder and CEO of the Chamber of Digital Commerce, she has been at the forefront of creating policies enabling the adoption of digital assets.
As a result of her efforts, the Chamber has become the largest trade association in the industry while spearheading the launch of the Digital Power Network, representing over half of the US Bitcoin hashrate. Boring has been instrumental in bridging the blockchain world with policymakers, creating room for innovation, jobs and investment to strive.
8. Dahlia Malkhi
Dahlia Malkhi, PhD is a leading voice in the tech world who transitioned from Silicon Valley to the forefront of blockchain innovation. A former lead researcher at Microsoft, VMware and Meta’s Diem project, Malkhi’s expertise in decentralized systems has been pivotal in developing the future of cryptography.
As chief research officer at Chainlink Labs, she drives efforts to increase the adoption of Web3 through secure infrastructure. Her efforts extend past Earth’s boundaries with Spacecoin, which aims to develop the world’s first decentralized blockchain network in outer space, yielding unparalleled security for off-world data centers.
9. Emilie Choi
Emilie Choi, president and chief operating officer of Coinbase, has been instrumental in steering the company through the volatile crypto landscape while aiming to foster innovation and ensure compliance.
With a background in corporate development at LinkedIn and Yahoo, Choi brought her expertise to crypto at a crucial time, championing innovation in a rapidly evolving industry. Under Emilie Choi’s leadership, Coinbase reported an 88% year-over-year revenue increase for Q4 2024, surpassing industry estimates with $2.3 billion in total revenue. With trading volumes surging to $439 billion, the highest since 2021, her strategic direction has helped the exchange capitalize on renewed market optimism.
10. Neha Narula
Neha Narula didn’t just study the future of money. She’s helping build it. As the director of MIT’s Digital Currency Initiative, she’s tackling some of the biggest challenges in crypto, from security to scalability.
With her research expertise and as a senior engineer at Google, Neha could have taken the traditional Silicon Valley route. Instead, she advised institutions, such as the Federal Reserve, to push boundaries in crypto research while helping develop the power of decentralized technology.