The market for non-fungible tokens or NFTs, digital works of art, is finding its way into the traditional art industry. In the first six months of 2021, analytics firm DappRadar recorded $ 2.5 billion in sales of NFTs, up from $ 13.7 million in the same period in 2020. Christie’s Auctions recorded NFT sales of $ 93.2 million in the first half of 2021, with impressive sales the OpenSea NFT marketplace, which reportedly hosted 98% of total market transactions, recorded NFT trading volume of 4 billion as of August this year U.S. dollar.

While the rise of blockchain-based digital artwork is remarkable, many of the artists responsible for creating today’s most sought-after NFTs are men. For example, digital artist Mike Winkelmann – aka “Beeple” – made NFT history after selling “Everydays: The First 5000 Days” for more than $ 69 million at Christies. Acclaimed 18-year-old “Two Feet” musician and 18-year-old visual artist FEWOCIOUS also made headlines after selling four NFT collaborative artworks for more than $ 1 million. It’s also important to see that Argentine designer Andrés Reisinger sold 10 pieces of virtual furniture for nearly $ 70,000 in an NFT online auction.

Women want the “cryptocurrency” culture through NFT. change

While the ratio of male to female NFT artists is still unclear, statistics show that significantly fewer women than men are involved in the overall crypto space. For example, a recent survey by the Gemini crypto exchange found that only 26% of women own crypto. While that’s true, the report also notes that more women than men are willing to get into crypto in the near future.

So it’s important to note that a number of women artists have started creating NFT projects to show the growing participation of women while promoting more women into the cryptocurrency sector.

Lavinia Osbourne, founder of the Women in Blockchain Talks community, told Cointelegraph that the NFT sector could be more attractive to different genders because of its focus on creativity:

“Learning new words like DeFi, blockchain wallet and cryptocurrency and understanding these terms less takes a lot of energy and time. Art, on the other hand, is much more exciting. Many people may not understand what NFT is and how it works, but they know the art and know how to be creative. “

Osbourne said Maliha Abidi, a female artist, writer and activist, told Cointelegrah that her passion for digital media originally led her into the world of NFT. Abidi explains that she has been campaigning for women’s rights with her artwork since 2012, but after learning about NFTs, she started a project called Women Rise.

According to Abidi, Women Rise is a unique collection of 10,000 NFTs featuring female activists, artists, scientists, programmers, and more. The guiding principle of the project is “to see women rise in the blockchain”. Abidi added:

“I wanted to make sure I start my journey into the NFT by celebrating real women all over the world. This project is not only about ethnic diversity, but also about cultural diversity, religious diversity and diversity in areas where women break through the glass ceiling. It’s also an extension of the work I’ve done over the past nine years. “

Abidi is expected to officially launch the Women Risen project at the end of November this year, around the same time as the 16 days of United Nations Activism Against Gender-Based Violence scheduled for November 3rd part of this project, but it’s also about to take action and look at the role of women in real life, ”says Abidi.

Abidi added that she’s most excited about the project’s plans to give back to some of the organizations she has worked with over the years. For example, she announced that 24% of the proceeds will be donated to schools in Afghanistan to support the education of girls.

According to Abidi, “Traditional artists are not limited to women, they also include men and non-binary people. Here we have to redefine roles. The NFT room is for everyone who wants to express their creativity.

It’s no surprise that many women artists feel encouraged to step into the crypto world because of their passion for women’s rights and digital media. Lisa Mayer, founder of the NFT Boss Beauties project, told Cointelegraph that the opportunities non-corrupt tokens offer are consistent with her goal of empowering women:

“Before starting Boss Beauties, I started a company called My Social Canvas. We have developed a range of products designed by women with proceeds going back to female creators to help fund their education. However, after the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to think about other business models for alternative sources of funding. Because of this, NFT and digital artwork are merging with me and My Social Canvas. “

Mayer explains that Boss Beauties was launched 3 months ago and includes a collection of 10,000 unique portraits of strong independent women representing diverse career paths. “There are female astronauts, STEM women, doctors, racing drivers and more. The promise here is that all of these qualities taken together show that a woman can be anything she wants to be. “

Following the launch of Boss Beauties, Mayer announced that the entire collection sold out in just 90 minutes, demonstrating the financial impact NFT can have on small business owners. “I was blown away because I worked hard to keep My Social Canvas alive during the pandemic. As a small business owner, I was really touched that the collection sold out so quickly, ”she said.

While the sale of the Boss Beauties collection represents an important milestone, Mayer also mentioned that of the 10,000 NFTs created, one was kept for the exhibition as an actual work of art in the Ministry of Transport. New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on the occasion of “International Girl’s Day”, which takes place on October 11th.

According to Mayer, this will be the first known NFT to be shown on the NYSE. “It will be displayed in front of the iconic Muriel Siebert Boardroom, which honors the first woman to have a seat on the New York Stock Exchange. Muriel joined the exchange’s 1,365 male members on December 28, 1967, ”she said. NFT is currently being auctioned to fund scholarships and mentoring programs for women and girls in the financial sector.

Efforts to Help Women Overcome “Crypto Fear”

Although the NFT room attracts more women than other crypto-related areas, an awareness of education is still required to encourage participation.

Mayer explains, for example, that many tech-savvy women in their network are still not familiar with NFTs because the space is so new. There is therefore a need to overcome a steep learning curve that Mayer believes will be overcome if women understand the financial opportunities associated with the NFT. “This is a fortune transfer opportunity,” she commented.

Echoing Mayer, Athan Slotkin, an entrepreneur and investor often referred to as the “Shadow CEO,” told Cointelegraph that once people become aware of the economics behind NFTs, they want to take advantage of them. “Boss Beauties raised about $ 5 million in 90 minutes. People will see this as potential. “

Abidi also mentioned that education is also needed to prevent scammers and gatekeepers from breaking into the crypto space. Referring to the Fame Lady Squad example, Abidi explained that the three men posing as women-led NFT projects were one of her first acquaintances with NFTs, adding, “Really sad to see so many supporters of the Fame Ladies watch, but it’s really a scam. The challenge here is that we need to have more education and fewer gatekeepers in crypto. “

While education is still required on all aspects of cryptocurrencies, it is important to note that women-led groups have recently been formed to raise awareness in such environments.

For example, Osbourne stated that Women in Blockchain Talks plans to launch a women-centric NFT marketplace called “Crypto Kweens” soon. According to Osbourne, the marketplace will be built on the rarible protocol and will be a place where artists, entrepreneurs, creators and founders come together to support one another:

“It will be a place where others can support you and be part of the movement to be the collective representative of women and marginalized groups. Male artists are also welcome, as long as their work reflects the theme of “Empowerment, Celebration, and Enhancement of the Female Form”.

In addition to Osbourne’s initiative, Hailey Lennon, a partner at law firm Anderson Kill, told Cointelegraph that she recently founded Crypto Connect, a networking group for people interested in or involved in cryptocurrency and blockchain. Lennon stated that the group’s board of directors will be led by all women, noting that having a strong female presence will help attract more women and men into the crypto space.

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