As the world evolves, so does everything in it, including financial technology and blockchain. Cryptocurrencies have been around since the early days of Bitcoin; however, despite its revolutionary impact, it has remained largely associated with one gender—men. With this in mind, we’ve put together a list of female trailblazers in the FinTech and crypto world who are helping shape and further develop the industry today. Let’s take a look at these women who rule the financial world!
#1 – Janet Yellen
As the former Chair of the Federal Reserve, Janet Yellen is one of the most powerful women in finance. She’s been a big advocate for financial regulation and recently announced her support for digital currencies. Yellen is currently a Distinguished Fellow at the Brookings Institution.
#2 – Shirley Jackson
Shirley Jackson is a business executive, entrepreneur, and investor who has been involved in many aspects of the financial world. She is currently the CEO of RJC Capital, a private investment firm. Jackson has also served as the Managing Director of Lehman Brothers and as a Partner at KPMG. In addition to her work in the financial sector, Jackson is also an active philanthropist. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and has served on the boards of several organizations, including The Rockefeller Foundation.
#3 – Victoria Van Eyk
Victoria Van Eyk is a Canadian entrepreneur and business executive. She is the co-founder and CEO of Blockcrushr Labs, a blockchain technology company. Van Eyk has over 20 years of experience in the financial sector, including working as a derivatives trader at a major Canadian bank. In 2017, she was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women by the WXN.
#4 – Meltem Demirors
Meltem Demirors is a venture partner at CoinFund and CEO of Digital Currency Group. She has been working in the cryptocurrency space since 2013 and is a well-known advocate for women in crypto. In 2018, she was named one of Fortune’s 40 under 40 list. In 2019, she was ranked #4 on Forbes’ list of the top 100 women in blockchain.
#5 – Lucy Jones
Lucy Jones is the Co-Founder and COO of CreditCoin, a decentralized credit network built on Ethereum. She is also a founding member of the Blockchain for Social Impact Coalition. Lucy has a background in product management and growth hacking. In her previous role as Product Manager at Google, she launched several features that are now used by millions of people every day. Lucy holds a degree in Computer Science from Imperial College London.
#6 – Iliana Oris Valiente
Iliana Oris Valiente is the president of Bitt, a digital wallet provider based in Barbados. She is also a founding member of the Bitcoin Foundation. In 2014, she was named one of Forbes’ Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Blockchain. Valiente has been a driving force in the adoption of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. Under her leadership, Bitt has helped numerous individuals and businesses transition into the digital age. Valiente is a strong advocate for financial inclusion and empowering women in business.
#7 – Elizabeth Rossiello
Elizabeth Rossiello is the CEO and founder of BitPesa, a digital foreign exchange and payment platform for frontier markets. BitPesa has processed over $1 billion in transactions since its launch in 2013. Rossiello is a thought leader in the digital currency space, having spoken at TEDGlobal, the Milken Institute, and Wired Money.
#8 – Eliza Ronalds-Hannon
Eliza Ronalds-Hannon is a business reporter at The New York Times who covers financial technology, cryptocurrencies and startups. She has also written for The Wall Street Journal, The Economist and Wired UK. Ms. Ronalds-Hannon graduated from Columbia University with a degree in economics.