Since it hit the market, Bitcoin, the world’s first decentralized digital currency, has experienced its share of peaks and valleys. These price surges have piqued the attention of investors on the one hand, but on the other hand, they have spotlighted important moments for both the adoption of blockchain technology and for the technology itself. As Bitcoin's price continued to spike in recent years, it also drew a slew of innovators including an increasing number of influential women who have played important roles in the blockchain and crypto industry. Below is a timeline that outlines some of the pinnacle points where women are paving the course of the next blockchain, and Bitcoin’s price rises with it.
If you are interested in understanding the history of the changes in the value of Bitcoin, you can read the Bitcoin price history. Binance offers this page on the Bitcoin price history, which gives a comprehensive view of its price, from highs to lows and into the long term.
2013: First Major Price Surge & the First Interest in Blockchain
In 2013 Bitcoin’s price spiked for the first time, as it surpassed $1,000. This price peak was the first time Bitcoin entered the mainstream and its potential for blockchain technology outside of cryptocurrency was incepted. By this time, a handful of pioneering women were taking the leap into the space and recognizing the blockchain possibilities.
Elizabeth Stark, co-founder of Lightning Labs, was one of these trailblazers. To speed up and lower fees on Bitcoin transactions, Stark’s work was on the Lightning Network, a “second layer” protocol for the Bitcoin blockchain. As Bitcoin’s price rose, her contributions have been critical in improving its scalability and usability, making it easier for more people to access and transact on the network.
2017: How the Bitcoin Boom Helped Us Launch Women-Led Blockchain Startups
Bitcoin’s biggest surge came in 2017 when Bitcoin’s price skyrocketed to almost $20,000, attracting the world’s interest in cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. During this boom period, the blockchain industry was flooded with talent and capital, and many women capitalized on this momentum, bringing to life startups and initiatives in the Crypto space.
One such figure amongst the prominent figures of this period was Meltem Demirors, a well known cryptocurrency investor and strategist. In 2017, she joined the Digital Currency Group (DCG) which is one of the most influential blockchain investment firms. Taking advantage of the interest in Bitcoin, Demirors used the moment to persuade institutional investors that digital assets and blockchain innovation were vital. She became a key voice in the space, bridging traditional finance and crypto and making blockchain tech easier to understand.
2020: Institutional Adoption Boom, and the Importance of Blockchain Education
In 2020, Bitcoin’s price saw another huge rise, breaking the $20,000 mark once again and even reaching its all-time highs as institutional investors began to adopt Bitcoin as a digital asset. This period of growth has shown that the public needs blockchain education, and as a result, women dedicated to educating the public on blockchain’s potential have risen.
Take Lavinia Osbourne as another example, founder of Women in Blockchain Talks, an initiative to raise awareness for more women in Blockchain and Crypto. The industry still lacked gender diversity, Osbourne noted, but there was increasing interest in Bitcoin and blockchain. During her years with Motruk, she broadened her platform to educate and inspire women across the world to join the blockchain revolution and benefit from it.
The Change was also in digital finance in 2020. As Bitcoin grew in value, decentralized finance (DeFi) potential was revealed, and platforms and protocols popped up to provide financial services without intermediaries. Featured Women like Camila Russo, founder of The Defiant who became the go to source for coverage on DeFi and its transformative power. Russo’s work in documenting the DeFi movement during Bitcoin’s surge has given transparency and insight and helped more women to explore blockchain and crypto.
2021: Women Lead Innovation, and Bitcoin Reaches New Heights
In 2021, Bitcoin hit an all time high of over $60,000, with mainstream media interest and drawing in even more people into the crypto and blockchain space. Women focused blockchain initiatives in this area introduced in this milestone year increased significantly, in the fields of sustainability, finance, technological innovation.
Caitlin Long, a Wall Street veteran and founder of Avanti Financial Group, which aims to offer regulated banking services for digital assets, was the key figure in this phase. As a result of her efforts to marry traditional finance and crypto, Long has become a leading voice for responsible cryptocurrency regulation and for integration of crypto within the current financial system. In a year steeped in price volatility, her work is crucial in enabling sustainable growth across the crypto sector.
2023: A Diversity and Inclusion Era in Blockchain
When Bitcoin’s value stabilized after the 2021 highs, the conversation turned to making the blockchain ecosystem more inclusive and diverse. During this period, women entrepreneurs started projects to democratize the access to blockchain technology, and especially to the underrepresented communities.
Sheila Warren, CEO of the Crypto Council for Innovation, has been a vocal leader in advocating for diversity in the crypto space. Warren’s organization aims to educate policymakers and the public and advocate for responsible regulation to facilitate a secure and welcoming blockchain ecosystem. She plays an important role in encouraging more women and minority groups to participate in the blockchain industry so that they can also get a share of what Bitcoin represents as a financial asset and a technological tool.
Conclusion: The Rise of Women in Blockchain is Not Stopping
More than a financial record of highs and lows, Bitcoin’s price history has fueled innovation and inclusion, and even made a large contribution toward the world of finance and technology. Every time women have pushed the boundaries of what's possible in blockchain, each price surge has been accompanied by a critical moment for women in the blockchain industry. Early innovators including Elizabeth Stark and advocates like Sheila Warren have used Bitcoin’s momentum to start educational platforms, lead technological advancements and dictate regulatory approaches.
Bitcoin’s price peaks took place on a timeline that coincided with the most significant women to make an appearance in blockchain. As Bitcoin continues to grow and its growth continues, the support of women in blockchain will also grow, and will be instrumental to a future in which digital assets are accessible, secure and empowering for everyone.
