Let’s be honest, diving into crypto can feel like trying to crash an exclusive party. The language is dense, the rules seem obscure, and things move at breakneck speed. It’s exciting, promising to revolutionize finance, but that very intensity and those wild market rides often contribute to a clear reality: fewer women are involved as owners and investors compared to men, worldwide.

Thankfully, that picture is starting to shift, largely because a growing number of women leaders are stepping up and taking action. They understand that closing this gender gap requires more than just encouragement; it takes hands-on education, building real community connections, and fostering genuine confidence.

Think of figures like Rachel Conlan, steering marketing at the massive exchange Binance, or Olayinka Odeniran, building the Black Women Blockchain Council from the ground up—they’re part of a wave working to empower others with the know-how to navigate the digital asset industry.

The State of Women in Crypto

For all the talk of crypto democratizing finance, the numbers still show a stark gender imbalance. Globally, women’s ownership of crypto assets trails significantly behind men’s. Dig into recent studies, and you’ll consistently find women’s ownership hovering around the one-third mark globally. A 2025 Security.org study, for instance, found women made up 33% of US crypto owners, while Triple-A pegged the global figure at 39% in 2024. While these numbers suggest growth, they’re still a long way from parity.

The gap widens dramatically when you look at who’s running the show and getting the funding. Research consistently reveals disappointingly low numbers of female founders and CEOs. Data cited in a HRReview article showed just 6% of crypto company CEOs were women. BCG research painted a similar picture, finding only 13% of Web3 startups involved a female founder, with barely 3% having all-female teams.

It doesn’t stop there. Women in Web3 finance roles reportedly face a hefty pay gap—around 46% according to Forbes—which is even larger than the disparity seen in traditional finance. Visibility is another issue; Hacken’s 2024 report pointed out only 5 women ranked among the top 100 crypto influencers on X and noted how infrequently female experts are cited in media pieces. It paints a clear picture: women are bumping up against significant hurdles in entry, leadership, funding, and fair pay within the crypto world.

5 Inspiring Women Leading the Charge to Close the Financial Literacy Gap

Thankfully, many women aren’t just accepting the status quo. They’re actively building a more inclusive and informed crypto world. Here are five leaders making a real difference:

Rachel Conlan, the CMO of Binance

Steering the marketing ship as CMO of Binance, the world’s biggest crypto exchange, is Rachel Conlan. She brings a wealth of experience from over two decades in traditional marketing to the lightning-fast Web3 arena. Her focus? Using smart, user-focused strategies to expand Binance’s enormous global user base and, importantly, championing an inclusive culture both inside the company and out in the wider industry.

Conlan is open about the hurdles women face in the traditionally male spheres of tech and finance, crypto included. And she’s actively doing something about it, spearheading education specifically for women.

Conlan is direct about the uphill climb women often face in tech and finance, crypto included. She’s channeling that awareness into practical action, putting education for women front and center at Binance. In a recent interview with Emirates Women at this year’s Token2049, Conlan discussed the perception of women in crypto, “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.”

Binance’s wider educational efforts, like its Academy and influencer partnerships, aim to break down complex crypto ideas for everyone.

CryptoWendyO: The Influencer Behind the O Show

If you’re looking for someone who makes crypto make sense daily, you’ve likely stumbled upon CryptoWendyO. Through her popular YouTube channel, “The O Show,” she talks to a massive global audience, breaking down Bitcoin and crypto basics in a way that clicks, whether you’re just starting out or have been around the block(chain) a few times. She jumped into crypto herself back in late 2017, and her straightforward, teach-first approach has made her a trusted guide for many trying to cut through the market noise.

WendyO’s own path into crypto, started during a personally tough time, fuels her belief in the need for initiative in this space. “Crypto is so new that one has to have drive and the willingness to learn on their own,” she shared in an interview, adding that perspective is vital. While she sees that the crypto scene can feel male-dominated, she ultimately finds it welcoming: “This is the first time in my life I’ve felt like I completely belonged.”

Laura Shin, the Host of the Unchained Podcast

If you’re trying to get a clear, trustworthy perspective on crypto, chances are you’ll run into Laura Shin’s work pretty quickly. Many know her from her long-running podcast, “Unchained“, and she also has serious journalism chops from her time as a senior editor at Forbes. What makes her stand out is how she digs deep with interviews and reporting, managing to shed light on crypto’s often confusing corners. Since kicking off “Unchained” back in 2016, she’s consistently turned complicated blockchain stuff into something listeners can actually grasp, without dumbing down the important details.

Shin’s focus is firmly on substance over speculation, giving her audience, women included, the solid grounding needed for smart decision-making. As researcher Maya Goldman put it, “Her work provides women with the substantive knowledge they need… rather than just encouraging participation.” Adding to her educational impact, Shin’s 2022 book, “The Cryptopians,” delivers a deep dive into Ethereum’s history, giving readers vital context to assess crypto’s present and future critically.

Tavonia Evans, the Founder of GUAP Coin

Tavonia Evans uniquely merges tech know-how with a powerful social mission as the founder of GUAP Coin ($GUAP).

GUAP Coin came onto the scene back in 2017, born from a specific vision: to give an economic boost to people in the global African diaspora, with a keen focus on empowering Black women. Tavonia Evans, the driving force behind it, wasn’t new to tech—she brought years of experience as a computer scientist and Fortune 500 IT pro. That background helped her see how crypto could potentially break down some of the financial barriers that have held communities back for so long.

She realized that typical ‘how-to’ finance classes often weren’t clicking with Black women, failing to really get at the unique challenges and systemic roadblocks they often encounter. That led to her “Crypto for the Culture” workshops.

“Our approach combines cultural relevance with technical education, making cryptocurrency meaningful within our community’s economic context,” she explained. These sessions wisely start with foundational financial concepts before moving into crypto specifics, ensuring they connect with participants effectively. GUAP Coin itself functions to encourage support for Black-owned businesses through economic incentives, all while nurturing a strong sense of community.

Olayinka Odeniran, the Founder of Black Women Blockchain Council (BWBC)

Coming from years deep in the traditional finance world dealing with compliance, cybersecurity, and risk management, Olayinka Odeniran saw a need and decided to build something to fill it. She founded the Black Women Blockchain Council (BWBC) with a clear goal: open doors and foster inclusion. At its heart, BWBC is about creating welcoming environments where Black women can explore and learn about blockchain side-by-side and lean on each other for support and guidance through mentorship.

“Many women feel intimidated asking questions in male-dominated crypto spaces,” Odeniran has pointed out. “We create environments where questions are welcomed and learning happens through relationship building.”

Initiatives like BWBC’s “Blockchain Beginners” program extend beyond just financial know-how; they incorporate workforce development, helping equip women for actual careers in the blockchain field. A significant ambition, pursued with partner ConsenSys, is to train half a million Black women as blockchain developers by 2030, tackling the representation and skills gap head-on.

Building Bridges: Education as the Key to Crypto Inclusion

The reality of the gender gap in crypto underscores just how vital targeted financial literacy efforts are. The contributions of Rachel Conlan, CryptoWendyO, Laura Shin, Tavonia Evans, and Olayinka Odeniran showcase the many creative and effective ways women are leading this critical work. What’s striking is that their work isn’t just about quick investment pointers. They’re digging deeper—helping women build a real understanding from the ground up, creating places where they can connect and support each other, pushing back against unfair systems, and showing how this knowledge can lead to real-world financial opportunities.

So, you see it happening in different ways—running major programs at big exchanges like Binance, growing supportive grassroots groups, or using podcasts and articles to spread knowledge. No matter the method, these women are essentially smoothing the path, trying to make the jump into digital assets feel less overwhelming for others wanting to get started.

They’re providing much more than just a glossary for all the crypto buzzwords. It’s about understanding the ‘why’ behind it all, creating environments where asking questions feels safe, not intimidating, and ultimately giving women the confidence and know-how to truly engage with this space, not just watch from the sidelines.

They’re inviting women to fully engage, participate, and even help steer the ship as finance evolves. It’s a great illustration that making crypto truly inclusive isn’t about one single thing, but this powerful mix of education, belonging, and real empowerment