It is no secret that crypto, blockchain, and NFTs have gone mainstream. Companies large and small are integrating these technologies into their offerings, cities are developing their own coins, and with so much going on, it begs the question, what’s the state of women in crypto?
According to a CNBC survey, twice as many men as women invest in crypto. People of color, however, have embraced crypto on a larger scale worldwide. A Harris poll survey showed that 23 percent of Black Americans and 17 percent of Latino Americans own crypto, compared to 11% of White Americans.
For International Women’s Day, I wanted to showcase 5 amazing women-led initiatives in the Web3 space.
Women Rise
First on our list is Women Rise, with a collection of 10,000 unique NFT art pieces created by the internationally acclaimed visual artist Maliha Abidi. The beautiful art pieces inspire collectors to support a diverse community of women, so they too can see themselves represented in the tech, blockchain, and NFT space.
Women Rise donates 7.5% of proceeds go to global organizations working to educate girls, especially in the most marginalized communities of the world. Women Rise also contributes to causes for women’s rights, violence against women, and gender equity.
Remarkable Women
Another exciting female-led collection comes from the Remarkable Women team founded by artist, Rachel Winter. Her vibrant colors and wild patterns grab your attention and lead viewers into a journey of ideas, stories and emotions about the world today.
Remarkable Women are not only on a mission to increase the representation of women in Web3, they also plan to expand access to curriculum, tools, and community support for women, men, and allies looking to learn more about Web3, Metaverse, Crypto, and NFTs. They work with a diverse range of brand ambassadors, ranging from rapper Ja Rule to Youtube influencer iJustine.eth and an amazing group of influential Web3 women such as Shira Lazar, Melissa Jun Rowley of Warrior Love Productions.
Cosmic Cats 420
Cosmic Cats 420, my personal project, are NFTs with a mission to save cats and deplastify the planet. Cosmic Cats 420 are mutant cats that survived the eco-apocalypse of 2420 when the world became completely overrun by plastic. They now roam the galaxy to educate humans on the error of our ways. Funds from NFT sales will be used to start a TNR (trap, neuter, release) program, support veterinary care and fostering, as well as a future Cosmic Cats 420 Cafe and Sanctuary in Tulum.
Cosmic Cats 420 along with a number of other NFT for good collections can be seen IRL at the recently opened NFT Boutique, a storefront in Tulum that showcases NFT collections and their merchandise.
It’s the first of its kind in Latin America, a gathering place for crypto and NFT enthusiasts that is quickly becoming a tourist and local hot spot.
More Women in Crypto
More Women in Crypto (MWIC) is an initiative which has partnered with the NFT Boutique in Tulum. More Women in Crypto is creating a space for women to discuss these innovative tools, technologies, and new models. The group meets both in person and via Zoom calls on a weekly basis at NFT Boutique in Tulum, in a bilingual and intimate setting that has even hosted a first-of-its-kind NFT baby shower.
More Women in Crypto
It’s exciting to see how our vision of bringing women together to learn and collaborate is coming to life. We’ve needed a space to learn from each other and our More Women in Crypto group is a safe place to share our perspectives, fears and hopes.
Francesca Martina, Founder of More Women in Crypto
MWIC knows that it’s important for women to collectively come together and create a culture that redefines business as usual. The group plans to hold hands-on training for various topics in crypto such as crypto trading, launching an NFT project, and more as well as launching both an NFT and crypto fund for its members.
TulumCoin
TulumCoin is an initiative from Regen Tulum, Steph Ferrera and her other Regen Tulum founders believe that the launch of their DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization) will be the vehicle to sustainable and responsible growth for Tulum. The Regen DAO will be launching the TulumCoin token, which is a cryptocurrency that will provide value back to the region in the form of funding regenerative projects.
TulumCoin will be a catalyst for local benefits and a currency that anyone will be able to use for local services with zero fees on transactions. If distributions are made from TulumCoin into another currency, there is a 5% charge on the transaction that will go into the Regenerative Projects fund and voted on by the Regen DAO. With most credit card transactions in Tulum charging 5% every time you pay, this is a new way to make those funds count. The idea is a simple yet secure system to empower a local economy with crypto and use withdrawal fees to restore Tulum’s ecosystems and cultural heritage. TulumCoin is currently minting on Near protocol and you can still get in early by getting a TulumCoin Founders Club NFT which gives you extra benefits and early access to the Dao, token, staking, minting, event access, merchandise royalties, and many other benefits from the DAOs network.
With Web3 initiatives taking the world by storm in traditional tech hubs such as NY, SF and Miami, it’s exciting to see the innovation coming out of Tulum, a trendy beach town where influencers flock. In the last few years, Tulum has become a mecca for digital nomads, crypto enthusiasts, and creatives so it’s no wonder that it is also rapidly becoming the center of the Web3 universe.
Women Making Waves in Web3
From increasing representation in financial systems that have historically excluded women, to creating coins that generate local wealth for communities, the impact women are having in the Web3 space continues to grow.
It no longer is just a question of where are all the women in tech. When it comes to Web3, women are leading the way and showing how these technologies can have a real impact on the most pressing issues of today, but even beyond that, we are showing the world how to build new economies centered on collaboration and shared values.
Full disclosure: The author owns NFT Boutique and holds some of the NFTs mentioned.
