Gender is not closely tracked, but some claim that cybercurrencies generally have a profile similar to that of banking which is often male dominated.

A survey provided by EthTrader reportedly showed only 4 percent of traders are female. Another came from MyEtherWaller that is said to signal 16 percent of traders are women.

One possibility has to do with investments themselves which, in their more risky forms, attract men rather than women. Men may be more willing to undertake risk than women.

Women generally seek investments that don’t seem to threaten their underlying investment, given the volatility of such instruments as bitcoin. Also many women—more than men—don’t consider themselves as especially skilled or knowledgeable when it comes to investments.

Crypto-oriented venture-capital companies are mostly male as well. Perhaps 17 percent of such companies have just one female creator, and even fewer have full female creative lineups. Females in larger companies may be involved in sales support or human resources, not in fundamental, creative roles.

Of course, cryptocurrencies really do contain considerable risk according to financial authorities such as Andrew Bailey, head of UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). “If you want to invest in bitcoin be prepared to lose your money,” he said.

Regulator Chris Woolard, said crypto does not “have the consumer protections associated with traditional assets.”

But women may eventually occupy more roles in crypto because it is not yet well established as an industry and much can change and evolve. Woman-led crypto-startups deal with such areas as “banking the unbanked.”

Of these, areas are controversial. Banking for the unbanked, in which women are involved, is an effort to get some two billion impoverished people from around the world involved with saving and spending via banks.

Digital banks are more efficient than regular banks, in part because they deal with digital money rather than cash. Banks can supposedly make up to 400 billion per year just by adding services to this sector of the market.

But giving services to the unbanked is about more than money. Banks can help the unbanked come into the middle class, thus strengthening entire populations. 

And yet, banks may have trouble surviving in the future. Officials, such as Israeli Prime Minister (PM) Benjamin Netanyahu, say banks may be superseded by bitcoin technologies.

Banks are intended to guarantee that arrangements between buyers and sellers are realized as planned. In addition to helping guarantee transactions, banks help government stay in control of money.

But bitcoin and other such currencies do not need banks to create trusted transactions. Instead transactions made directly without the necessity of trust provide the transactional safety.

Bitcoin is currently the biggest of these cybercurrencies, reaching up to $20,000-plus at the time of this writing. With such pricing, bitcoin and other currencies may be established as credible additional money, or even as an alternative.

It is certainly possible that “banking for the unbanked” takes advantage of digital money. In America, for instance, loans to the unbanked are delivered via a special program that involves direct deposit, requiring participants to open bank accounts. This basically uses non-cash money, which is part of the larger crypto approach, to support banking progress.

A number of aspects of banking are focused around ensuring the trustworthiness of banking itself. But with crypto-currencies like bitcoin, the problems of fraud are considerably reduced by blockchain technology which certifies the transaction via numerous nodes.     

Women, especially, seeking to “bank the unbanked” may find that bringing such people into the banking world has problems alongside of positives. Those without much money have little need of banking services. Having such services may actually complicate their lives.

Banks themselves want the unbanked as customers because of additional revenue. But the women involved in such potential banking may discover there are downsides because additional bank money may allow officials to raise taxes, among other moves.

This may mean that even the very poorest people will need to work more hours for less pay or simply do without. Women should examine their viewpoints and ensure that their efforts are positive from a variety of aspects. That goes for men too.

Too often people get carried away with financial viewpoints that have considerable potential downsides. These should be considered in advance, as various currencies evolve.

By David Murry. Murry is bringing several ICOs to market and is the author of a recently published book, Blockchain Disruption: How a Decentralized and Distributed World Expands Freedom.