Bitget is putting $10 million behind female-led crypto projects, the exchange said this week, as industry data shows women founders still capture just 6% of venture funding. The fund is the centerpiece of an expanded diversity push that includes education partnerships and internal hiring targets.
The 6% problem
The 6% figure, drawn from sector-wide data, highlights a gap that many in Web3 have tried to close. Bitget's $10 million fund is one of the larger dedicated pools, though the exchange hasn't disclosed how many projects it expects to support or the typical check size. For context, female founders have consistently received a tiny slice of crypto capital — and that number hasn't moved much.
How Blockchain4Her works
Blockchain4Her, Bitget's flagship program, partners with WIW3CH, a network that grew from a Swiss initiative into 15 chapters across the globe. Together they run workshops and events aimed at getting more women into the space. Bitget also works with UNICEF to provide blockchain education to 300,000 young people, building a pipeline of future talent. Inside the exchange, 40% of leadership roles are held by women — a number Bitget ties directly to its diversity targets.
What women in Web3 are asking for
Research cited by Bitget points to three main barriers: lack of visible mentors, a confidence gap driven by technical complexity and male dominance, and difficulty accessing specialized knowledge like crypto tax law. Women in Web3 are requesting structured mentorship, deep technical training, and connections to Web3 lawyers and tax advisors, the exchange said. Those requests are shaping the curriculum of Blockchain4Her events.
Measuring progress
Bitget tracks outcomes from its 'Pitch n' Slay' competition and Blockchain4Her awards to see what works. The company has tied diversity targets to internal hiring and partnership standards, meaning teams that fail to meet them may lose access to Bitget's resources. The exchange hasn't released public data on program outcomes yet, but says the metrics feed back into program design.
The $10 million fund is now open for applications. Bitget hasn't set a deadline, and it's unclear how quickly the capital will deploy. For an industry where the 6% funding share has been stubbornly low, the real test will be whether this money reaches founders who wouldn't have gotten a look otherwise.
