Meet the Women Who #ChoosetoChallenge with Crypto [Part 1]

The crypto industry, which is estimated to reach $3 trillion in market cap by 2025, is still disproportionately geared towards men. Encouragingly, more women are subscribing to the freedom of money that crypto can offer. At Binance, we take pride in working with female ambassadors, who grow and foster our communities through education, media, events, and more. 

Here, we celebrate their inspiring achievements and stories that help mobilize other women to join the crypto revolution and close the gender gap. 

1. Amelia Tomasicchio

Amelia is the CEO and co-founder of the online magazine The Cryptonomist (www.cryptonomist.ch) and an affiliate of Binance. She first entered into the crypto space in 2014 and founded The Cryptonomist in 2018, growing the online media property to a monthly reach of 1 million views.

She first studied about Bitcoin in 2014, when she had to write a university essay on cryptocurrencies. She became more interested in crypto after that, particularly in how decentralization works for Bitcoin’s technology.. 

Seven years later, she has this to say about crypto: “For sure, it is an industry you need to be educated in. People who want to trade with cryptocurrencies with zero preparation and knowledge can lose their money due to high volatility, scam projects, and others. However, if you are willing to study, this sector is very exciting and I think cryptocurrencies will be used more and more in the future so get ready or you will lose the train.”

Amelia thinks there is always something new to study and learn every day. “You will never get bored, and cryptocurrencies changed my life for good,” she said, adding that she met really interesting people in the space who want to change the world and work for it.

2. Ribka

Ribka, who won the Binance Angel of the Year award in 2020 with her sincere dedication to her local community groups and other fellow angels, heard about Binance first when her younger brothers met success while using Binance. She then wanted to be a crypto user herself, believing that she can achieve financial freedom through crypto. She was also a very big fan of Bitcoin, buying and HODLing whatever amount she can buy and never trading her stash.

She likes the idea that crypto is offering us all a chance to be unchained from banks at this moment, saying that this can lead us to financial freedom. She thinks that women who are hesitant to be a crypto user should “Just do it, you can have control over your funds and you don’t need a middleman to help you out with banking businesses. It is important to at least try.”

Regarding those who are not crypto users, Ribka thinks that they are more reliant on the traditional financial systems and that they feel safer with the traditional ways. However, she sees more changes in her circle, and her friends are increasingly asking about crypto.

She says, “The experience as a woman in the crypto industry in one world is just fantastic!”

3. Amirah

Amirah, one of our original Binance Angels who joined in 2018, was first an OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) in the Middle East. She has been the breadwinner of her household for years. In 2017, she started sending the money she earned through a wallet app, which helped her send and receive money quickly and easily to her family in the Philippines. And it had an added benefit: the wallet app introduced her to the world of cryptocurrencies. 

Curious about what she saw on the app, Amirah started researching Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. Now, with the help of cryptocurrency, she and her family were able to be more financially stable. She was able to buy her own house, and she came home to the Philippines to stay with her family for good because, with crypto, she doesn’t need to work abroad anymore. 

“I would like to describe my overall experience as a woman in the crypto industry as uplifting and challenging at the same time,” Amirah said, adding that she learned a lot by being part of the Binance Angel program. “If you are thinking of joining the crypto community, start by learning the basics. Now, it is not hard for us women to learn because we can get the support that we need to catch up with everything, especially with Binance,” she explained.

4. Victoria

Victoria dreams of having “freedom of money.” For her, freedom of money means many things: being able to pay for her bills, having enough money to live with even without having to have a fixed occupation, having a robust investment portfolio other than fiat, and even having enough BNB.

She first learned about Binance through a friend who casually mentioned a platform for trading cryptocurrencies. Then, she found her way into a Binance community made for Nigerians. In 2020, when she was learning how to be a trader, she noted that it was not easy at first to adapt to the space that seemed to be mostly for men, but her father helped her out by providing some motivation.

However, Victoria’s first experience with crypto was not beautiful. She was conned by a broker when she was 18, and became scared of crypto when$100 of her funds were lost within two days. A better experience with crypto came in two years after she found out about Binance. Since then, she has learned everything she can about trading, before funding her account, to make sure she does not have any regrets and she’s been happy with what she can do with Binance ever since.

Through her personal experience, Victoria knows that many people who are not crypto users are still scared of trading, because of the stories that they have been told. Still, she says, “It is not impossible to be a successful trader. It just needs a process. Most of the time, people want to earn without learning. It does not work that way. You have to learn first how to earn, from topics such as fundamental analysis, technical analysis, risk management, etc. I am glad I got into the industry when I did, it’s never too late to hop on the moving train and take your place.”

If you want to join the moving train and take your place, click here to join Binance

5. Lorena

Lorena is a busy woman with a lot of roles. She is: an entrepreneur and a Founding Partner of Bitcoin Embassy Bar at Mexico City; a consultant, speaker and workshop developer on Blockchain and Bitcoin topics; a writer at Talent Republic; a podcaster at Tune into the Block; a cryptocurrency enthusiast and analyst of social and economic phenomena; an intern in social psychology; and a feminist and supporter for women!

She first got to know about Bitcoin in 2017, when she was looking for investment options and learned more through her current partner at Bitcoin Embassy Bar. At that time, she felt like what Bitcoin reflects what she believes in, which led her to learn more about cryptocurrency and invest in it.

Even though Lorena first entered into the industry in 2017, her first time using Binance was in 2019, after her social media followers asked her about crypto exchanges. She has been happy with her experience on Binance ever since.

“Bitcoin is an amazing life changer in every aspect.” Lorena’s advice for the crypto novices is to educate themselves on the subject before considering the possibility of buying any cryptocurrency, because the volatility can be unpleasant for users, especially those who are unfamiliar with crypto markets. Also, there can be scammers who are constantly looking for chances to con users. “Approaching the crypto community is one of the best ways to learn, as many of us dedicate ourselves to creating content to help new users, definitely in the crypto space there are a lot of brilliant people willing to share their knowledge with everybody.”

#ChoosetoChallenge with Crypto. Download the Binance App.

6. Zuni

Zuni from Venezuela is a medical student who is passionate about being both a doctor and a crypto user. Currently, she is more focused on contributing to the crypto industry by guiding new Binance users as a Binance Angel. She said she got into crypto because she feels like she can access many opportunities while working in the crypto industry, many of which she wouldn’t have as a doctor.

The aspiring doctor was first introduced to the crypto industry when she faced economic challenges in her home country. She had to find her ways to keep her money safe, and that is when she came across the Binance P2P platform and stablecoins.

Until now, her favorite Binance product is Binance P2P, which she uses every day. She exchanges just the right amount of money she needs from the platform and then keeps the rest of her assets safe.

Zuni thinks that the blockchain ecosystem is what people need as a solution to get the freedom of money that they deserve. She also advises anyone who doesn’t know about the blockchain ecosystem to research, learn, and find their way toward financial stability.

She explained that her experience as a woman in the crypto industry is something that makes her feel powerful. She can show her peers and critics that she is an intelligent woman, completely capable of doing amazing things and contributing to improve the industries she joins in. She wants potential female crypto users to know this:

“I know it is something new and sometimes it is scary, but the best thing that someone can do, not only to women but also everybody, is to try. How can you know if something is good or not if you haven’t tried it? Taking risks and trying new things can take you to greater places!”

7. Vaneska

Vaneska is a Binance Angel and travel agent from Chile. She chose to remain using crypto, despite being conned by a scammer before, because she knows that the problem is with the misuse of crypto, and not crypto itself. That is also why she works hard as a Binance Angel to share information with her fellow users.

She got more interested in the crypto industry when she found out that crypto can be used in the travel industry. That is why she recommends cryptocurrency to all women. 

“The crypto industry is the most inclusive that exists in the world, it has no age or gender, you can link it to any undertaking you have,” Vaneska said. “I am learning every day. At one point in my life, I told myself that I didn’t want to spend my whole life in front of a computer, but now I understand how happy it makes me be in front of the computer to enjoy my life at the moment I want. That is how great the experience in the crypto industry is to me.”

8. Fara

Fara, who is a crypto investor, first learned about crypto from a friend. She got more curious about crypto, Bitcoin, and the technology behind the tokens. When she shared her story, she made it a point to emphasize that she is an investor, not a trader, because she is into crypto for her future. She also shared that she wants to have her dream car after three years of crypto investment.

She says that potential crypto users should be aware of crypto products first and that they should not be greedy with the profits that come with using crypto. To those who are hesitating to join as a Binance user, she said, “Don’t waste your time with toxic people who discredit crypto.”

9. Fran

Fran is passionate about crypto despite facing hard times at the moment. In 2019, she was scammed, and then the year after, she became unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Crypto turned out to be her saving grace. She is currently earning income by trading at Binance with little amount of money. 

Despite those previous hard times, she still chose to remain in the crypto industry. Reflecting on those times, she said, “I never lose anything; I either learn or earn. I was financially broke, but I have learned a lot from that time so far.”

A Brazilian exchange recently carried out a survey, which revealed that for every 100 investors, 11 were women. Fran noted that this number seems small, but it is in fact twice the global average. “To women who are considering crypto, I want to let them know that we can explore our intelligence and stand out in the crypto market because we have been tirelessly trying to take a part in this space,” she said.

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Part 2 of our #ChoosetoChallenge series is going out on March 9.