Thursday, March 10, 2022
What inspired you to start this program?
Okcoin believes in crypto for all and that bitcoin is the money of freedom with the potential to democratize wealth by enabling a new, all-inclusive system. Right now, the majority of crypto traders are white and male, and Coin Head research shows that women only make up 4 percent of crypto entrepreneurs. In starting our Crypto for All program, we're working to change this dynamic through initiatives that will make the crypto market more accessible to women and others currently on the sidelines of the traditional financial system.
What opportunities exist for women in the cryptocurrency space?
Financially, crypto opens new doors for women across the world—especially in countries where legal barriers for women to access, own and administer assets still persist. Being decentralized and permissionless, bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies prevent the exclusion of women or any other population.
There are also opportunities for women to get involved from within the industry, leading the way as crypto business leaders, developers, entrepreneurs, educators and more. Crypto is only as strong as its builders, and women have the potential to play a critical role in improving its safety, security, speed, adoption and more when given the proper support to do so through programs such as our $1 million grant program.
How do you envision crypto being enriched by having more women participate?
Crypto is inclusive by design, defying not only geographic borders, but also democratizing the creation of wealth regardless of geography, gender or any other factor. Women are having a transformative impact across all sectors, and crypto is no exception, with many widely respected female crypto leaders. Women bring a unique perspective and set of talents to the table and are critical in bringing crypto's inclusive mission to fruition.
What do you hope to accomplish in partnership with Natalie Brunell?
Education is a critical part of getting more people into crypto, and we're excited to support the informational content Natalie creates. She is just one of the many examples of women who are leading the adoption of crypto, and we want to amplify her voice, proving that crypto isn't a "bro club" as many misperceive it to be.
What qualifications and attributes do your first grant recipients share?
Bitcoin for Fairness, started by Anita Posch, is "bringing Bitcoin to billions" as she travels to countries around the world educating the people who need crypto most. Bitcoin Ladies, started by Sarah Satoshi, is a project that provides resources and education to women for Bitcoin learning, networking and opportunity sharing. The project is working to build a Bitcoin circular economy to encourage women to produce content, organize events, and code. Both reflect the focus areas Okcoin has outlined for making cryptocurrency more inclusive—learning, building and connecting—with the recipients' work spanning across education, blockchain development, career mentorship and more.
What is your message for other women interested in applying?
Crypto and Web3 as a whole are still in their early stages, and there is no better time than today for women to get involved at the ground level and lead the way in this exciting new space. We strongly encourage women who are passionate about this area to apply to our programs. Tell us all about the great work you're doing as you build toward an inclusive future of finance, whether that's by working on crypto ecosystem projects, educational outreach programs, or making the crypto community more welcoming for women and other underrepresented groups. We're regularly reviewing applications and providing a decision to applicants within a few weeks.
For more information about the program and to apply for grant consideration, visit: www.okcoin.com/cryptoforall
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