Diversity is vital in ensuring creativity, growth and innovation. On the gender front, women have been fighting for equal rights for over a century, but despite huge progress in some areas, we’ve seen growing gaps in others. Finance, and specifically a families’ money, has traditionally been dealt with by men, but women across the world are trying to change that stereotype and play a role in finance.
And with the emergence of crypto in the past decade, another space where users are stereotyped to be young, white and male, there’s a clear gender imbalance which people are fighting against.
Diversity in Crypto
It’s no secret that the crypto industry is growing, but for any burgeoning industry, it’s vital that this growth reflects society, and thus has an equal number of men and women participating.
It’s not quite as simple as women wanting and being able to get involved though. Long-running stereotypes of who crypto users are, coupled with a lack of available information about crypto giving people what they need to get involved, are putting many women off.
And that’s why a huge number of initiatives and campaigns have evolved to encourage women into the space. From events such as those hosted by the Crypto Curry Club and Women in Blockchain Talks, to podcasts like the Unchained Podcast, as well as organisations such as Women in Web3 and The Belle Block, they’re all providing opportunities to learn about crypto, network with likeminded people, and understand what amazing things other women are already doing within the space.
The Women in Crypto Campaign
Global companies working in the crypto sector are also playing a pivotal role in using their reach as a platform to spread this message.
Three years ago, digital payments platform, Wirex launched the Women in Crypto campaign, aiming to dispel the myth that crypto is a boy’s club. The launch of the campaign kicked off a new era in spotlighting and celebrating women’s achievements, proving that the crypto industry is full of fantastic and talented females.
As a part of the initiative, the Rising Women in Crypto Power List was launched to spotlight talented female crypto enthusiasts, and in the previous two years since launch, has received over 600 nominations from more than 50 countries. It proves that the recognition of someone’s hard work is indeed life-changing – it doesn’t matter if you’re an experienced specialist or a rising star. It gives a major career push and lets you dive into a world of like-minded women who are ready to support and share their wisdom.
But this year is different for everyone, especially for Ukrainian women that are currently trying to maintain their careers amidst the ongoing war. Wirex, along with The Cryptonomist, are working together on this year’s Women in Crypto campaign to recognise these women in particular.
Ukrainian Women Working in Crypto
Since the war in Ukraine started, Ukrainian women have been facing major pressure. With thousands of men drafted into the military, many women are now forced to be the only source of income for their families, which of course have a major impact on their ability to work. Not only this, but many of them been displaced, and for women in the crypto sector, as an already-marginalised group, it’s even harder for them to fight for equality under these conditions.
And for the women at Wirex, of which the companies’ largest office is based in Kyiv, they understand this more than ever. As well as the 10 Power List winners that Wirex look to celebrate each year, in 2022, Wirex and The Cryptonomist have chosen to launch the ‘Young Ukrainian of the year’ award to express their solidarity with women working in crypto that are also fighting on the frontline for their career.
The award aims to motivate, support and encourage Ukrainian female specialists to keep moving no matter what. It will recognise one female working in the industry from Ukraine, who will win a grant of £1,000’s worth of WXT to help them pursue their career in these difficult times.
An Initiative Close to Home
Despite many having dropped everything to flee abroad at the start of the war, some women have decided to stay in Ukraine. Anabella Lapshyna is the PR & Content Manager at Wirex R&D and has stayed in Ukraine throughout, and played an important role in contributing to and promoting the Women in Crypto campaign, particularly to fellow Ukrainian women.
“Despite the war, Ukraine confidently holds a leading position in terms of the volume of cryptocurrency use in the world. What’s more, it is a country with some of the most talented developers; many popular crypto products known across the world were born in Ukraine, such as DMarket and Hacken.
For women from my country, the ‘Young Ukranian of the Year’ award is particularly important as there are many talented female specialists in the crypto industry, but not all of them have sufficient opportunities for self-development because once the war started, many of them were forced to change their priorities. Therefore, Women in Crypto is a great opportunity to continue your professional growth and receive support and recognition for your achievements on the global stage”,
says Annabella.
This new reality might be challenging and filled with struggles for prominent Ukrainian female specialists, but this year’s Rising Women in Crypto Power List aims to make the crypto space accessible for these women, no matter their circumstances.
Whether you or they are an experienced veteran of a crypto newbie, nominate yourself or someone you know today for the Rising Women in Crypto Power List. Entries are open until 18th October, with judges deciding on the finalists which will be announced on the 8th November.
To read more about Wirex and The Cryptonomist’s Women in Crypto campaign, and what it’s like to be working in crypto amidst the war, head to the Wirex blog.
About Wirex
Wirex is a worldwide digital payment platform and regulated institution that has forged new rules in the digital payments space. In 2015, the firm developed the world’s first crypto-enabled payment card that gives users the ability to seamlessly spend crypto and traditional currencies in real life.
Wirex was created in 2014 by CEOs and co-founders Pavel Matveev and Dmitry Lazarichev, who identified the need to open up the esoteric world of cryptocurrencies and make digital money accessible for everyone. With the core aim of making it as easy as possible to use digital assets in everyday life, Wirex provides a trusted and cost-effective service for crypto and traditional currency transactions by incorporating the next generation of payments infrastructure integrated with cryptocurrency blockchains.
With over 5 million customers across 130 countries, the company offers secure accounts that allow customers to easily store, buy and exchange multiple currencies instantly at the best live rates on one centralised mobile app. Quick and simple crypto transfer options are available, as well as the freedom to spend 150+ traditional and cryptocurrencies in more than 80 million locations around the world using the Wirex card.
Wirex continues to develop the product in line with market developments, whilst adhering to regional regulations and securing appropriate licensing where it exists. A proven industry pioneer, Wirex launched their own native utility token, WXT, and introduced the world’s first crypto reward programme, Cryptoback™, which earns cardholders up to 8% back in WXT for every transaction they make.
To reflect the growth of the metaverse, throughout 2021, the company has expanded their product to enable mainstream access to DeFi. Starting with the launch of their popular X-Accounts feature, offering unprecedented levels of interest, Wirex has continued to add to their DeFi arsenal with the release of the non-custodial Wirex Wallet and a partnership with Nereus, a decentralised liquidity market.
Wirex is based in London, with offices in Singapore, Kyiv, Dallas, Dublin and Atlanta. With over $5bn worth of transactions processed already and rapid expansion into new territories, including the US, Wirex is uniquely placed to support and promote the mass adoption of a cashless society through creative solutions.
Source: https://en.cryptonomist.ch/2022/10/06/fighting-diversity-crypto-during-war/