Women are showing an increased interest in cryptocurrency investments, with the majority favoring long-term strategies and lower-risk assets like Bitcoin despite reporting a lack of industry knowledge, according to a new Bitpanda survey shared exclusively with Cointelegraph.
According to the survey, 50% of female crypto investors prioritize long-term financial growth, with 49% holding digital assets for up to five years and 39% planning to hold for more than five years.
Women also tend to prefer safer digital assets. Bitcoin (BTC) remains the most popular investment choice, with 30% of respondents selecting it as their first digital asset investment compared to 24% of men.
More than 54% of the 1,400 surveyed investors made their first investments in Bitcoin, Ether (ETH) or XRP (XRP).
Percentage of investment terms desired by female investors. Source: Bitpanda
“Women tend to build more diverse portfolios and focus on long-term wealth creation rather than chasing short-term gains,” according to Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget cryptocurrency exchange:
“This measured approach is exactly what the crypto ecosystem needs — investors who understand technological fundamentals and look beyond market noise.”
Women and men’s average holding period per asset type Source: Bitpanda
“Women typically adopt a ‘sit on their hands’ investment style,” with less trading frequency than men, Chen said, citing a Charles Stanley study:
“While men made 13 trades annually on average, women executed only 9. This patience and strategic thinking translates beautifully to crypto markets, where emotional reactions to volatility often lead to losses.”
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Nkiru Uwaje, co-founder of blockchain liquidity platform Mansa, believes this reflects a fundamental difference in investment psychology between men and women:
“Women approach investing differently as part of a broader wealth-building strategy. When we invest in Bitcoin, we often consider its place within a diversified portfolio rather than viewing it in isolation.”
“Preference of holding may also lie in analyzing how investments may change. Instead of reactively selling during dips, female investors tend to observe how assets behave through market cycles,” she added.
We’re “not chasing overnight gains” or “FOMO-driven decisions”
The majority of women prefer Bitcoin, but not necessarily due to risk aversion alone.
“This approach often stems from thorough research and strategic patience,” according to Mary Pedler, founder of INPUT Comms blockchain and tech-focused communications agency.
“Many women I’ve worked and communicated with do deep research before investing and seldom make FOMO-driven decisions,” she told Cointelegraph, adding:
“When we invest in Bitcoin, it’s after understanding its fundamental value proposition — we’re not chasing overnight gains; we’re building generational wealth.”
More women entering crypto, but challenges remain
While female crypto investors are rising, a lack of education remains the main challenge for mainstream crypto adoption among women.
Over 81% of respondents admitted to being inexperienced investors, with 24% of female investors citing a lack of investment knowledge as their biggest challenge, while 41% pointed to financial constraints, according to Bitpanda’s survey.
Related: From Binance to SheFi, the frontier is feminine
However, Bitpanda’s female users have shown steady growth. Women who started investing in January 2024 have seen an average increase of 8.1% in their investments over the past year.
Chen highlighted that just 26% of crypto holders are women.
To bridge this gap, initiatives like Women in Ethereum Protocol (WiEP) emphasize the need for proper education, clear guidance and structured support to encourage more women to enter the crypto space.
“Women need proper education, clear guidance, and support, starting with small investment amounts,” WiEP representatives told Cointelegraph.
Additional reporting by Lyne Qian.
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