When many people think of building wealth, things like climbing up the career ladder, juggling a 9-5, starting an online business, come to mind. However, there are women right now who are taking unconventional paths to wealth. They’re using crypto, trading apps and blockchain tools to stack coins and make money.
They’re not waiting for tech bros to hand them a seat at the table, they’re learning the ropes, taking calculated risks and cashing out on their own terms. The stories of these four women in crypto tell us that financial freedom can also come from a career in the crypto space.
“I lost ₦150k in one day but since I set up structures, I’ve made over ₦5 million” – Syza, 21
How did you get into crypto?
At 17, after secondary school, my parents sent me to learn how to use a computer at a tech place in my area. It was there that I overheard someone talking about coins and crypto. As a really curious person, when I got home that day, I went to watch videos about it on YouTube.
I found out about Bitcoins too. So even though I was skeptical, I downloaded Binance and started trading with ₦10k. I made ₦20k, then nearly made twice that again. I thought I was a genius and eventually got greedy. Later that year, I put in ₦150k and I lost almost everything in a bad trade.
What kept you going after that loss?
I realised that I didn’t know what I was doing. I took a cautious step back and went back to where I was coming from, YouTube. Beyond that, I started using Twitter actively, I learned a lot from following crypto influencers. I specified into the memecoin part of the crypto space and it has really been great since then.
I also made a few financial decisions about the income that I get from crypto. It’s difficult but I make sure to stick to it. I save 30% of my profits in US Dollars. If you’re into crypto, you’ll understand how much discipline this could take. Since I set up some of these structures, I’ve made over ₦5 million. I also have a business that I started with my profits from crypto.
“Crypto helped me leave my toxic job” – Oma, 27
What made you take crypto seriously?
I was working in a law firm where my boss was literally micromanaging my life. He also shouted at me a lot too. So, I started trading Ethereum and Solana on the side in 2022. At first, it was just small money here and there but there was this bull run period where I made like ₦1 million in a month.
That was when I realised that I had options. Crypto helped me leave my toxic job. At first, it seemed like leaving was a terrible decision and many people in my life didn’t support it, including my family but I had set my mind to it and no one could pressure me otherwise.
How did you transition out of your job?
The economy in Nigeria right now is kind of mad so I didn’t need anyone to tell me that if I was going to quit my 9-5, then I needed to be able to sustain myself for at least 3-6 months; depending on how long it would take me to find a better job with better pay. Anyway, I saved up money to sustain myself for about a year,within two months of trading on crypto.
I then quit that terrible job. Now, I trade full-time and run a small crypto newsletter for beginners. I also host classes every month for people who want to learn. Of course, it’s a paid opportunity. And generally, being in crypto is not always rosy, yeah? But I’ll take that over being micromanaged and underpaid anytime.
“I got scammed but I’ve made over ₦800k in profits this year” – Haliyah, 24
What was your entry into crypto like?
Chaotic. Let’s start from 2021 when I joined a WhatsApp group where I met someone that was talking about doubling my money in 48 hours. It was giving MMM but I thought I was above such incidences. I mean, this person was really convincing, they told me about an entire bullshit process. God, I was so gullible.
I believed him and sent ₦50k. I never heard from him again. Months after that, I paid ₦30k for a masterclass in crypto that turned out to simply be recycled YouTube videos. I was livid but it wasn’t like I could collect my money back.
How did you recover from that?
I stopped chasing shortcuts, I decided to lock-in and do some mad research. I used free resources from Reddit, Twitter threads and Binance academy. I also read articles and research papers. Right now, I trade spot and shuffle between platforms. I’ve made over ₦800k in profits this year alone. People haven’t stopped trying to swindle me sha but I just laugh and block them.
Now that I think back on it, it’s kind of interesting that I didn’t lose hope in making money from this crypto of a thing. I knew people that I couldn’t access were making shit tons of money from crypto and the mindset was really that, you see this money that they’re making? I must make it too.
“I made my first million from crypto at 23” – Ayomitide, 25
How did you get into crypto?
Around 2 years ago, I was working as a receptionist earning ₦40k monthly. One day, one of my bosses mentioned in passing that he had just made ₦200k trading Solana. I thought he was lying cause what even is Solana in the first place? I asked him about it but he laughed it off and evaded most of my questions. He bought me dinner from the money that day sha, a win is a win.
Anyway, I went home and started googling like a mad person. Someone had just shown me a way out of the trenches life, I had to know what I was doing. I started with half of my salary and lost over half of that. I cried ehn but I didn’t stop oh. I joined Telegram groups and watched tutorials. I also use RankFi now. Eventually, I made my first million by trading crypto and I was only 23. I started a jewelry business on the side that took-off because I had the funds to bootstrap.
What’s the biggest lesson that you’ve learned so far?
Following trends is not always the smartest thing to do. Don’t jump on everything that your so-called influencers are hyping. There have been multiple situations where I bought a coin that people on Twitter said was going to take-off. I would buy and within 48 hours, sometimes, 72, it would all crash.
When anyone tells you to only invest in projects that you understand, take it as gospel truth. It might seem like there is an anyhowness that comes with this business but I assure you that crypto is strategy. If you play with it, get ready to go bankrupt fast.
One thing that these women have in common is that they didn’t miss road and jam crypto money. They studied, failed, persevered and won. In Nigeria where inflation sits down to eat the Naira for breakfast and the labour force scarcely accommodates new entrants, crypto offers an alternative.
The crypto space is open to everyone and if these women can do it, so can you. One thing about Nigerian women is what? We excel! In conventional spaces and unconventional ones, you’ll find Nigerian women thriving. So before you scroll past that crypto thread or blockchain webinar, ask yourself, what if this is IT for you?
Next Read: These 4 Nigerian Women are Proof That Social Media Can Pay Your Bills
