As the world celebrates International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025, the spotlight turns to the trailblazing women breaking barriers in the male-dominated crypto industry. Among the “Top 100 Female Crypto Traders” list compiled by FXTM, a global trading platform, the names of two African women stand out: Nigeria’s Olayinka Odeniran and South Africa’s Thembi Portia Shilenge.
In a sector where women constitute only a fraction of participants globally, their inclusion underscores Africa’s growing influence in the digital asset space and the rising tide of female empowerment in blockchain and crypto trading.
Over the years, cryptocurrency has evolved from a niche experiment into a global financial phenomenon. It boasts an estimated 833.7 million users worldwide as of 2024, projected to reach nearly a billion by 2028, according to Statista. Yet, women remain under-represented. A 2023 Triple A report estimated that women account for about 37% of global crypto owners, roughly 155.4 million users, up from 21% in 2021.
However, when it comes to active trading and leadership roles, the numbers dwindle. A Grayscale study found that while 43% of those interested in Bitcoin investments are women, only about 20% of female crypto investors actively trade, per CoinJournal, with most preferring to “hodl” (hold long-term).
This gender gap matters. Women’s participation in crypto is not just about equity; it is about innovation. Studies, like one from Coincover in 2024, reveal that women express greater confidence in crypto’s future (34.6% vs. 17.7% of men), suggesting they could drive adoption and stability in this volatile market. In Africa, where crypto adoption is surging,
Nigeria ranks first globally in peer-to-peer (P2P) trading volume, and South Africa is a leader in crypto-TradFi integration. Per Chainalysis, these women are not just participants but pioneers.
Nigeria’s Olayinka Odeniran: A voice for inclusion
Olayinka Odeniran, ranked #91 on FXTM’s list, is described as a “crypto advocate, sharing educational content to help people understand the opportunities and challenges within the crypto space.” Her bio highlights her focus on making crypto accessible, a mission that resonates deeply in Nigeria.
Odeniran’s influence extends beyond trading. She is a founder and chairwoman of the Black Women Blockchain Council (BWBC), an initiative launched to boost the representation of Black women and girls in blockchain and fintech.
With over 16 years of experience in compliance, helping financial firms navigate domestic and international regulations, she is a highly respected compliance, cybersecurity, and risk management expert.
A graduate of Boston University, Olayinka went on to get her M.S. in Cybersecurity Management and Policy from UMC. Her education and many years of experience in the financial industry helped her manoeuvre comfortably through the ever-expanding blockchain landscape in which she provides information assurance to others.
For her ever-growing presence and efforts in these industries, Ms. Odeniran has been featured on Yahoo Finance, The Roots, Forbes and CNBC. She has also been listed as one of the top 10 women who used crypto to make a difference in 2021 by CoinTelegraph, and one of the top 10 influential African women in blockchain, by IT New Africa.
She is featured as part of the 100 Women of The Future Change-makers in Web3 and the Metaverse, who are using emerging technologies as a force for good in the physical world.
Adding to her experience in this field, for many years she oversaw the regulatory and compliance framework for a global corporate governance and responsible investment firm in her role as the Chief Compliance Officer. In 2019 she started her own cybersecurity firm, CybSecWatch which provides compliance, infosec educational tools, and cybersecurity consulting to the financial industry. Olayinka Odeniran is driven by her desire to make all sectors of tech inclusive and diverse.
South Africa’s Thembi Portia Shilenge: championing African adoption
Ranked at #13, Thembi Portia Shilenge is celebrated as “a South African crypto investor and speaker” who “promotes crypto adoption across Africa, providing educational content on blockchain and Bitcoin.” South Africa, with 7.6% of its women owning crypto (Forex Suggest, 2023), is a regional leader, and Shilenge embodies this momentum.
She is a sought-after speaker at blockchain events. Her focus on Bitcoin adoption aligns with South Africa’s growing use of stablecoins (43% of transaction volume, per Chainalysis 2024). Shilenge appears to be an independent investor and educator, possibly tied to community initiatives like the Blockchain Association of South Africa.
Her background is tied to South Africa’s tech-savvy urban centres like Johannesburg or Cape Town, where crypto interest is high. With youth unemployment exceeding 51% in 2022 (Statista), Shilenge’s work mirrors a broader African trend: using crypto to bypass traditional financial barriers. Her emphasis on education suggests she’s shaping the next generation of traders, a role critical in a country ranked among the top 10 globally for crypto ownership (Business Insider Africa, 2024).
Africa’s rising stars in a global crypto arena
Odeniran and Shilenge are exceptions in FXTM’s list, where only two of 100 traders are explicitly African, a stark contrast to Africa’s outsized crypto activity. Nigeria and South Africa frequently rank among the top 10 countries for Bitcoin searches (Arcane Research/Luno), yet female representation lags.
A 2023 Forex Suggest report notes Kenya leads Africa with 42% female crypto ownership, followed by South Africa (7.6%) and Nigeria (4.25%). However, leadership remains male-dominated globally as only 6% of top crypto roles are held by women (EMURGO Africa, 2024).
Their inclusion in the Top 100 is a beacon of progress. Odeniran’s BWBC and Shilenge’s continent-wide advocacy echo efforts by figures like Ruth Iselema (Bitmama CEO, Nigeria) and Sonya Kuhnel (Bitsure, South Africa), who drive blockchain solutions, though neither made FXTM’s list.
This disparity highlights a gap: while African women innovate, few gain global trader recognition, possibly due to a focus on education over trading volume.
The rise of women like Odeniran and Shilenge is not just symbolic; it is economic. In Nigeria, where P2P trading moved $56 billion in a year (CoinGecko, 2025), and in South Africa, where crypto bridges traditional finance, women traders diversify strategies and stabilise markets. Globally, women’s 37% ownership contrasts with their 14% presence among top influencers (Forex Suggest, 2023), underscoring the need for voices like theirs.
As IWD 2025 celebrates resilience, these African women embody hope. Odeniran’s push for inclusion and Shilenge’s vision for adoption signal a future where Africa, and its women, lead the crypto revolution.
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