With the world evolving towards decentralized technology, India not only sees a blockchain revolution, but it also sees a subtle yet important gender transformation. More and more women from India are not only venturing into the Web3 and crypto space, but are also leading the path of the industry's future. From NFT artists and blockchain developers to DeFi firms and crypto teachers, India's Web3 women are becoming the change-makers, debunking myths, and creating a technology-inclusive future.
It is a story of India's women crypto leaders, the obstacles they've fought and overcome, and the doors they're opening for future generations.
Why Women in Web3 Matter More Than Ever
Traditionally, the global tech world—and blockchain, in general—has been dominated by men. Boston Consulting Group's report of 2022 pointed out that less than 10% of crypto founders worldwide are women. India is becoming an exception, though. A combination of digitalization, work-from-home culture, and economic empowerment has driven increasing numbers of Indian women to leave their indelible marks on the crypto revolution.
Web3 is an even playing field. It prohibits institutional gatekeeping, encourages community contribution, and is based on meritocracy—giving underrepresented groups, such as women, rich soil.
India's Web3 Women Pioneers
1. Neha Soni – CEO & Founder, Corum8
Neha Soni is the CEO and founder of Corum8, a global blockchain, AI development, and growth marketing firm. She is also a serial entrepreneur, investor, and tech evangelist. Corum8 offers a complete 360-degree solution to blockchain startups, including acceleration, incubation, investor relations, and technology development.
2. Kavita Gupta – Founding Partner, Delta Blockchain Fund
Kavita is a leading crypto investor and global thought leader. She co-founded crypto-native fund Delta Blockchain Fund investing in Web3 protocols after having worked at the World Bank and MIT Media Lab. Kavita is one among Indian women VCs who invest in the blockchain ecosystem.
3. Harshita Arora – Teenage Crypto Prodigy
At just 16 years of age, Harshita surprised the world when she created the Crypto Price Tracker app that caused a global wave. Currently working at US crypto company Avascan, she is a legend among Gen Z Indian women breaking the mold when it comes to the future of crypto and DeFi.
4. Radhika Gupta – Web3 Content Creator and Educator
Radhika established a 100k+ social audience through demystification of crypto, NFTs, and blockchain for women and newcomers. With her tweets and workshops, she's popularizing Web3 learning and motivating additional women to invest and build.
Breaking Barriers: Indian Women in Crypto Challenges
Despite progressing a long distance, women in crypto continue to face some structural and societal obstacles to overcome:
1. Gender Discrimination in Finance and Technology
The finance, technology, and innovation—the three classic areas of crypto—are bastions of men. Women encounter unconscious bias in hiring, investment, and leadership.
2. Capital Availability
Women-founded crypto startups in India find it hard to impress the interest of VCs. According to a report in 2023 by Orios Venture Partners, it was estimated that a mere 3% of Web3 investments in India were made in women-founded projects.
3. Lack of Role Models
Even though there are women leaders, they are underrepresented on panels and in the media and therefore it becomes even more difficult for new entrants to relate to the ecosystem.
4. Regulatory Uncertainty
The unsettled regulatory environment of crypto in India deters many risk-averse women from joining the space to build a career or business.
Community-Driven Movements Driving the Change
India's increasing number of women-led Web3 communities are building peer-to-peer education and collaboration:
a- Women in Crypto India
A pan-India initiative that unites women developers, designers, and marketers in Web3 with mentorship initiatives, hackathons, and speaker series.
b. ShaktiDAO
A pioneering India-focused DAO encouraging gender diversity for Web3 projects, governance engagement, and DeFi awareness.
c. GirlScript Blockchain Chapter
A student-run program teaching young women about Solidity, NFTs, DAO governance, and smart contract auditing.
These communities are not only dismantling technology barriers but also building safe spaces for women to learn, develop, and lead without bias.
How Women Are Revolutionizing Crypto Use Cases in India
Women in India are paving the path to innovation in every aspect of blockchain:
1. NFTs and Creator Economy
Women artists are selling their paintings all over the world through NFTs. WazirX NFT, for example, has been promoting Indian women artists whose paintings now have customers worldwide.
2. Microfinance through DeFi
Some women-founded businesses are building decentralized lending platforms in rural India, where women entrepreneurs are under-served by traditional banks.
3. Blockchain for Social Impact
Smart contracts and women leaders are driving women land ownership, menstrual health supply chain, and education funding in India initiatives.
Opportunities Ahead: What Will Drive the Next Wave
There are more than 150 million crypto users in India by 2030, as per a KuCoin report. For women, that equates to:
Crypto wallet and DeFi app-based financial inclusion
Leadership role in startup, DAO, and exchange
Policy-making role when India decides on its crypto policy
Tech career in Layer 1 and Layer 2 protocols, metaverse, and tokenization Government initiatives like Digital India programs, and development of blockchain education platforms, will drive participation.
Conclusion: Not Just Users, But Builders
Indian women are no longer happy to be consumers of Web3—they are becoming builders, investors, creators, and leaders. The journey will not be easy, but the pace is real.
The future of crypto in India has to be inclusive. To enable India to unlock the full potential of blockchain, it has to empower its women leaders' voices and hands. They're not only bridging the tech gender divide—they're rewriting the definition of leadership in the decentralized era.