Should Women in Crypto Be Treated Differently? Rethinking Inclusion in Web3

Devcon was one of the most exciting and inspiring crypto conferences I have been to in recent years. Despite Bangkok’s horrific traffic—which was the opener to every conversation of the week—the main event itself was one of the highest-quality crypto gatherings I have ever attended.

The number of side events surpassed 1000, yet at least the ones I attended were of equal quality and value. Despite Devcon’s reputation for being solely for developers, I found several insightful and valuable marketing conferences, hackathons, and meetups.

Each of these helped me better understand the ethos behind the Ethereum project. Unlike other crypto conferences, which can often feel like flashy show events, Devcon was a space where people were genuinely working and collaborating. There were coworking spaces on every floor, breakout areas, and meeting rooms that could be booked. This truly felt like a productive space where good work was being done.

Women in Web3

I was also lucky enough to be part of the Women in Web3 event that was hosted as part of the main conference. This was held in one of many breakout areas that had the feel of an intimate classroom – learning spaces that were approachable and accessible. In these areas, projects were able to educate anybody interested in any number of subjects, and the Women in Web3 space was one of the most inviting.

I had a chance to give a talk on digital identities and how they are playing a crucial role in streamlining crypto payments and enhancing privacy and security throughout the Web3 ecosystem. I connected with many other female founders doing inspiring things throughout the Web3 industry.

These included a project called OK Contract, which, like SPACE ID, is trying to streamline the crypto user experience. I think we all agree that this has to be the main task of any project if we expect crypto to be adopted in any meaningful way.

However, I am starting to become less convinced that there is a need to single out women or perhaps any minority within the industry as a special interest group. I think it’s most important that we focus on the general collaborative and inclusive nature of blockchain and Web3, which allows for remote working and has a lack of hierarchy that no other industry does.

While we can’t ignore the fact there are more male developers than female developers in the space, that has much more to do with the public education system than it has to do with crypto. So many women are involved in this industry on many different levels, and I just don’t feel it’s helpful to single us out as a special interest group. Let’s start to promote the many good things that are happening inside the industry that are not gender-specific or specific in any other way.

Asia Leading the Way

What was also obvious from the Devcon conference is that Asia is beginning to dominate the crypto landscape. This is exemplified by the fact that Consensus, the biggest crypto conference in the industry, is holding its first Asia event in Hong Kong in February next year. And what’s more, it’s moved its transatlantic event from Austin, Texas – where it has been since 2015 – to Toronto.

Asia, and indeed all developing markets, are much more open to the adoption of crypto on many different levels because, unlike large, dominant Western banking hubs like New York or London, they have much more to gain from experimenting with this new technology.

Our own data shows that our presence has been growing in Indonesia, Vietnam, and India, among other developing nations. For example, in September, we had a 1,000% spike in Indonesia-based users. These tend to be users who already have some experience with crypto, though, and use it more regularly for transactions, which suggests a high level of penetration in these regions. People in Southeast Asia are generally very open to crypto innovation and used to digital payments through QR codes, which is a large part of local banking systems.

Crypto-Friendly Policies

We all know the potential of blockchain technology, which would mean borderless, extremely low-cost, and almost instant transactions without barriers. And those barriers are not technological. At Hong Kong Fintech week – held just a week before Devcon – we saw the Hong Kong authorities announce they will launch a virtual asset index that will include both Ethereum and Bitcoin. In addition, the region announced it will be extending cryptocurrency tax breaks.

We’ve seen other cryptocurrency-friendly policies come from countries like Vietnam and Thailand, the former recently announcing an intention to establish legal frameworks and promote innovation in Web3. Meanwhile, the latter’s major banks have been investing in crypto for many years. Then, of course, we have Singapore – the home of the iconic TOKEN2049 conference – which is in a cold war with Hong Kong to become the new hub for crypto. I admire how each event pursues its own goal and how diverse they are – Web Summit in Lisbon, TOKEN2049, Devcon – each of them is unique.

However, Asia is fast becoming a home for crypto that backward-looking nations concerned only with their former power and dominance cannot. As history tells us, successful nations are always forward-looking, and so those that are not future-focused will not be able to compete with Asia when it comes to new industries like blockchain and cryptocurrency.

All of this aside, Devcon Bangkok 2024 was an event where I connected with a huge array of projects and people. Overall, it left me inspired and motivated to continue to drive the Web3 industry forward, and increasingly proud to be a part of it.

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