Shaping the Future of Blockchain—One Woman’s Story of Courage and Change

I have to admit that when I first started using crypto, I felt like I didn't fit in. It wasn't just how fast things changed or how strange the language was. The room itself was also important. There were men all around me who were smart, confident, and already talking. A lot of the time, I sat still and wondered if I really belonged there. I listened more than I talked.

But there was something that made me want to go back.

Wanting to "make it" or be ambitious wasn't enough. What kept me going and kept me stable was my curiosity. There was no doubt that the technology was very useful. I could feel the potential even though I didn't know all the technical terms. Blockchain was more than just a new kind of money or a digital trend. A way to improve things. A system that could change things from how they are now. I wanted to be a part of it.

*The Beginning: Confusion, Interest, and Bravery

I remember spending hours on YouTube watching videos about Bitcoin, Ethereum, and smart contracts. Every ten seconds, I would stop and look something up on Google. I had no idea what "DeFi," "hash rate," or "layer 2 scaling" meant. At one point, I even wrote down a list of blockchain words so I could understand what people were saying.

But I kept going.

I joined forums. I asked "stupid" questions. I signed up for webinars and stayed up late reading whitepapers that I didn't really get. And slowly, the pieces of the puzzle started to come together. I began to understand the whole thing, which included both the technology and the movement that supported it. You can think about trust, identity, ownership, and money in a way that makes them more decentralised and democratic.

*How to Get Around in a Place Where Most People Are Men

To be honest, the crypto world isn't very diverse, at least not at first. Going to conferences or joining online groups as a woman often felt like going to a private club where everyone else already knew the rules.

People didn't trust me, not just because of what I knew, but also because I was there. "Are you with someone?" "Do you really trade?" "Who taught you this?" The questions weren't always meant to be mean, but they showed that most people thought women didn't belong here or couldn't belong here.

So, like a lot of women who work in jobs where men are in charge, I had to work twice as hard to get half as much respect.

But what surprised me was that the more I tried to learn, the more people I met who could help me. There were men and women who backed me up, liked my questions, and thought it would be good to hear a different point of view. Those connections and small acts of kindness meant the world.

*Having faith, making things, and breaking things

After a while, I stopped being just a student. I started to build. I worked with people from all over the world on projects and eventually became a leader. The imposter syndrome didn't go away right away, but every problem I faced made me stronger, more sure of myself, and more sure that I had something to offer.

One of the most important things I've learnt is that crypto is about connecting people. It's about getting rid of the people who control who can use things and making systems that anyone with an internet connection and some curiosity can use. That mission really struck a chord with me, especially since I'm a woman in tech.

In many ways, blockchain is still a teenager. It's growing quickly, but it's also strange and has a lot of promise. That means a lot of different people need to come in and help decide what happens next.

*The Power of Different Points of View

It's good to have a lot of different people around because they can help you think of new ideas. When everyone at the table has the same background, experience, and point of view, progress becomes a sounding board. When you bring in people from different backgrounds, like women, non-binary people, people from different cultures, and people with different incomes, you get new ideas.

This has happened before with crypto projects. Teams that really want to include everyone tend to ask more interesting questions. They think more about the people who will use what they make. They notice moral problems sooner, make models that are more fair, and are more aware of how their products affect the world.

Women have the ability to understand others, feel empathy, and work well with others. These are all very important skills in a field that often only cares about speed and size. We want to know, "Who is this for?" "What are the unintended effects?" and "How do we gain trust?" These questions are very important.

*If you're a woman who wants to buy crypto...

You might want to learn more about crypto. You might not believe it. You might be interested but also scared. You fit in here, no matter where you are.

You don't need to know how to code or trade to be useful in this area. There are many different kinds of people who work in the crypto world, such as marketers, designers, community managers, researchers, lawyers, storytellers, educators, strategists, and more. If you want to learn, are interested, and have a different point of view, you already have what it takes to start.

And yes, you will have to deal with issues. You might have to prove yourself more than once and deal with people who don't think you're as good as you are. But believe me, the more you come, the more you'll see that you *can* change things here.

We need more women in crypto, and not just because it's the right thing to do. The future we're making won't work if it doesn't work for everyone.

*Making Space for the Next Generation

These days, I help other women get started with crypto. I speak at events, tell my story, and try to be the kind of help I wish I had when I was just starting out. I understand how lonely it can be to think you're the only one there. I also know how powerful it can be to see someone who looks like you finally do what you want to do.

You need someone to speak for you.

That's why I believe we should help others as we get better. Every woman who comes here makes it easier for the next one to come. We're not just making apps and tokens; we're also building cultures, ecosystems, and communities. Things go well when everyone has a say.

*The Future: Luck and Duty*

As cryptocurrencies get older, we have a lot of big questions about rules, morals, growth, and making sure everyone is included. It's not just about technology; it's also about people. That's why women need to be a part of the conversation.

We fix things. We add interest to things. We care.

Coins and code are only part of the future of blockchain. It's about how we share value, build trust, and change what it means to own something in the digital age. These are important and interesting questions that can't be answered from just one point of view.

hashtag#WomenInCrypto hashtag#CryptoLeadership hashtag#Blockchain hashtag#WomenLeaders

By Mehreen Sheikh