Gen Z Women Poised to Dominate Crypto Finance—Will Wall Street’s Boys’ Club Survive?

The 2020s aren’t just bringing decentralized finance—they’re dismantling finance’s gender barriers. As Gen Z floods into crypto, women are claiming leadership roles at twice the rate of traditional sectors.

Forget ’leaning in’—these founders are coding their way around institutional gatekeepers. From DeFi protocols to NFT marketplaces, female-led projects now secure 37% of all crypto VC funding (up from 9% in 2020).

But let’s not throw a diversity parade just yet. The real test? When these disruptors start outperforming hedge funds—and watching old-money bankers pretend they believed in inclusion all along.

Some Of The Women Who Are Already Shaping Crypto

Over the past few years, several influential women have carved out serious space in the crypto and Web3 ecosystem. Cathie Wood, founder of ARK Invest, has been one of the most vocal institutional supporters of Bitcoin and decentralized finance. She’s consistently pushed for broader adoption and made bold investment calls that helped bring crypto into mainstream financial discourse. Leah Wald, CEO of Valkyrie Investments and leader of SOL Strategies, the highest-performing stock on the Canadian Securities Exchange in 2024, is another standout. Her leadership and early embrace of digital assets have been pivotal in bridging the gap between traditional finance and decentralized platforms. On the development side, Elizabeth Stark, co-founder of Lightning Labs, is known for her work in making Bitcoin faster and more scalable through the Lightning Network. Meanwhile, Aya Miyaguchi, executive director at the ethereum Foundation, has helped shape Ethereum’s global development and education strategy, empowering a decentralized future with strong ethical foundations. Gen Z women, raised on digital culture and social networks, are now entering this field with native fluency in tech and a natural grasp of online identity, branding, and community-building. Allare  essential to crypto success. DISCOVER: 20+ Next Crypto to Explode in 2025

What’s Holding Women Back in Crypto? Hostility Sentiment Towards Women In Crypto

Despite recent progress, women remain significantly underrepresented in crypto finance. A recent BCG report revealed that fewer than 10% of crypto founders and Core developers are women. Persistent barriers, like limited access to capital, exclusion from developer networks, and deep-rooted cultural biases still stand in the way. Many women also face a hostile environment when trying to enter or contribute to the crypto space.

Being hateful towards women in crypto is the most cringe, frail-ego coded shit you can do

Some of you are so passionately pathetic

— voh (@vohvohh) May 7, 2025

Crypto, like tech in general, was built with open access in mind. But that ideal often clashes with reality. Many women still find crypto spaces hostile and frequently misogynistic. When technical difficulties are coupled with a general hostile atmosphere, it’s hard to attract new people genuinely interested in the Web3 space. Despite these obstacles, women from this generation are digital-native, entrepreneurial, and socially aware. With the right tools and support, they’re uniquely positioned to lead the next wave of crypto innovation as users and architects. The emergence of projects like SOL Strategies under Leah Wald signals a broader trend: finance is no longer limited to Wall Street gatekeepers. As decentralized platforms grow and gender-inclusive education becomes more accessible, women from all backgrounds can step into leadership roles in crypto. This decade could mark a turning point. If the current momentum continues, we may look back on the 2020s not just as the era of AI or blockchain but as the decade when women, mainly from Gen Z, claimed their place at the heart of the tech and finance revolution. DISCOVER: 9+ Best High-Risk, High-Reward Crypto to Buy in May 2025

Key Takeaways

• Women in Crypto And Representation Gap: Less than 10% of crypto founders and developers are women, reflecting deep-rooted gender imbalance in the industry.
• Cultural and Structural Barriers: Hostility, lack of access to capital, and exclusion from technical networks limit women’s progress in Web3.
• Education and Community Matter: Initiatives like SheFi and events like Blockchain Baddies help simplify crypto and create safe learning spaces for women.
• Gen Z Potential: With digital fluency and social momentum, Gen Z women are poised to drive the next wave of crypto innovation. But women also need a less hostile enviroment.