Women in Bitcoin Are Everywhere — You Just Don’t See Them
Visibility — not ability — is the biggest barrier for women in the Bitcoin industry.
It’s International Women’s Day — a good moment to talk about something people still say surprisingly often:
“There are no women in Bitcoin.”
The truth is: they’re just less visible.
It’s true that there are far fewer women in Bitcoin than men. But after ten years in this industry, I can tell you: there are far more than there were a decade ago. I’ve got lots of Bitcoin girlfriends these days!
There are growing networks for women in Bitcoin, like Les Femmes Orange, and last week there was even a whole Bitcoin event dedicated to women, by women: Women of Bitcoin.
This is a call for women to dare to be more visible — and for the men to look a little harder.
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Just Because You Can’t See Them Doesn’t Mean They’re Not There
Here’s something I’ve noticed: women often don’t put themselves forward, especially not in an industry that still looks like a men’s world.
A couple of years ago I was at a conference where a podcaster interviewed 18 out of 20 speakers. The two he missed? The only two women on the programme. I was one of them. We found out later that every man he’d interviewed had simply walked up to him and said: “Hey, want to do an interview?” They invited themselves. We didn’t. Not because we had nothing to say — but because that’s not how many of us are wired. We were waiting to be invited.
Nobody was wrong. But something was missed.
Women also tend to check the team pages of companies before applying for jobs — to see whether there are other women there, or whether they’d be the only one.
Some women enjoy the challenge of being the first.
But many won’t even apply.
And here’s the thing: if women don’t dare to be the first female team member, or don’t dare to show up as speakers, content creators, or founders — if they continue to stay in the background — Bitcoin will forever look like a men’s domain, even though it isn’t.
Visibility changes perception.
Perception changes participation.
The more women appear publicly, the more normal it becomes for other women to join. Women need to see other women and think: “Huh. If she can do it, maybe I can too.”
A Note to Myself — and Maybe to You
Visibility doesn’t come naturally to me. Over ten years in this space, and I was invisible for the first eight of them. I’m much more comfortable behind the scenes than on a stage.
I make myself show up anyway. I have to — for Bitvocation. But also for other women. If they see me and others, hopefully they’ll give themselves permission to show up too.
Bitcoin is, genuinely, the most supportive industry I have ever worked in. Your fear of rejection might be more unfounded than you think. Dare to take the first step.
I’ve seen this firsthand in the POW Lab, our community for people building their Bitcoin careers (30% of which are women). Members have dared to teach Bitcoin beginners courses before they felt fully ready. Others have launched educational Instagram accounts, YouTube channels, online courses, and websites — from scratch. It’s possible. People are doing it. You can too.
The world can only invite you if you’re visible and findable.
What You Can Do Today
If you’re a woman in Bitcoin:
Show up a little more than feels comfortable. Post the thing. Apply for the role. Say yes to the stage. We need to see you — and so does the next woman who’s still on the fence.
If you’re a supporter of women in Bitcoin:
Give the women you admire a shoutout today. Make them visible. Send some followers their way. Actively recommend them as a podcast guest or conference speaker.
If you organise events or run a podcast:
Review how much visibility you’re giving women compared to men. And no — you shouldn’t add women to your speaker list just because they are women. Feature the people who can provide the most value. But before you go with whoever walked up to you first, ask yourself: “Have I actually considered all the experts on this topic?” Some of them might be women. The more women are actively invited to be visible, the less Bitcoin will look like a men’s world. Most will happily accept your invitation, even if they’d never have asked.
If you’re a VC or run pitch events:
Consider whether the Silicon Valley pitch contest format — founders on one side, money on the other — actually works for everyone. Are there really no female founders in Bitcoin, or does this format simply not suit them? Even one woman on the judging panel could make a meaningful difference.
Bitcoin Is Energy
The humans who build it, nurture it, and grow it bring energy too. Masculine energy. Feminine energy.
We are all responsible for the energy we bring to this ecosystem — so that Bitcoin can truly reach everyone.
I’m looking forward to SEEING more and more women on this path!
Thanks for being part of the Bitvocation community 🧡