The gender gap in knowledge concerning all things related to cryptocurrency investment is nothing new — however, there are encouraging signs that women are increasingly participating in the space, according to a new survey.
By Yaёl Bizouati-Kennedy
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A new BlockFi survey, “Real Talk: Women x Crypto 2.0,” found that while many women view crypto as a means to achieve financial goals, an education gap persists — and while crypto curiosity is increasingly translating into practical intent and investment, some skepticism remains.
Indeed, the survey found that while 45% of women polled say they understand how to buy crypto, 80% say it’s still confusing and a whopping 72% say it’s too risky to invest in.
“While 72% of women may feel like it’s too risky to invest, I think that as they discover this space in greater numbers and see how much more room this sector has to grow, they in turn will likely come around to investing in crypto in much greater numbers,” Newton said.
In terms of which cryptos they buy the most, bitcoin is by far the favored one. A full 71% of respondents who owned crypto held bitcoin, followed by dogecoin at 42% and ether at 18%.
In addition, one in three women surveyed are planning on purchasing crypto in 2022 — and one in five women believe crypto can help them reach their financial goals.
“In fact, I know a surprising number of women who bet early on crypto ‘alt coins’ (mostly ethereum) and now never need to work again. Although that’s not the norm, the opportunity for economic transformation is widely intriguing,” she said.
Another interesting finding suggested by the survey is that women’s interest in crypto extends beyond investing to include careers. With crypto-related job postings up nearly 400% in the past year alone, about 10% of women surveyed believe crypto is the most promising career sector — twice the number of respondents who said fintech.
In addition, 15% of women polled said they are interested in a career in crypto, with approximately 10% planning to apply to a role at a crypto- or blockchain-focused company in the next year.
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“If the industry can close the digital asset education gap and make financial tools widely accessible to all, women will have a more even playing field to achieve their financial goals,” Kukka said. “In addition to enabling them to become their own bank, as the industry motto goes, crypto gives women the opportunity to build substantial wealth and catch up to their male counterparts. My hope is that crypto will usher in a new era of financial inclusion in which all have access to the tools needed to find financial freedom.”
