CoinDesk's Proof of Talk Top 50 Women in Web3 & AI list, launched in June 2025, is more than just a list. It's a spotlight illuminating the vibrant, often-overlooked innovation happening in Southeast Asia. We’re not just lifting women up as individuals in a vacuum. We’re celebrating the collective power of these multifarious voices that are forging our digital future — most notably the grassroots uprising taking place in Southeast Asia.

Why Separate Lists at All?

Let's be frank. Separate “women in tech” lists, though well-intentioned, can unintentionally bolster the biases that they seek to overcome. Wait a minute, why aren’t these amazing women just on the larger all-star lists to begin with? Even the fact that a separate Proof of Talk event didn’t see these women plugged right back into panels next to dudes tells you everything you need to know. Further, it patently, if insidiously, implies that their contributions are in some way anomalous, deserving of outlier recognition.

This brings up a deeper question: Are we truly fostering a unified Web3 future, or are we creating echo chambers? We’ve got to go beyond meaningless tokenism to get truly integrated. Looking ahead it’s not separate but equal anymore, but equal, full stop.

Here's the unexpected connection: this list, despite its inherent contradictions, serves as a crucial catalyst. But it’s an important stepping stone to a future in which such lists are no longer needed. It brings to light extraordinary talent that deserves a much wider audience. This has particularly been the case in areas such as Southeast Asia, where Western narratives often overpower indigenous stories.

Southeast Asia's Web3 Creative Explosion

Forget Silicon Valley. The true revolution is happening in the kampongs and kopitiams of South East Asia. This list recognizes that fact in a roundabout way, and that’s an enormous victory. We’re talking about a part of the country that is overflowing with unrealized potential. In this space, Web3 and AI are not just buzzwords, but powerful tools that drive empowerment.

Think about it: Web3 offers a chance to bypass traditional gatekeepers and empower emerging artists and users directly. Imagine a Balinese woodcarver using blockchain to authenticate their creations and sell them directly to collectors worldwide, cutting out exploitative middlemen. Or a Filipina coder developing a decentralized finance (DeFi) platform to offer underbanked communities access to critical financial services. This is the tint of Web3’s optimism in Southeast Asia. This is what gets me excited.

I've seen this firsthand. As we’ve co-organized hackathons all throughout the region, I’ve continually been blown away by the creativity and ingenuity of Southeast Asian developers. They're not just copying Western models; they're building solutions tailored to their unique cultural contexts and challenges. In doing so, they are working to create a new, inclusive and decentralized digital world.

This is the grassroots uprising in action. These are the Davids taking on the Goliaths of the tech world. CoinDesk’s list, despite its flaws, is playing a key role in bringing attention to their work.

Systemic Change Starts With Us

The CoinDesk list points to systemic challenges, such as regulatory barriers and slow adaptation by academia. These are serious challenges, but they’re not impossible. We need to demand change. Innovators without borders We have to advocate for regulatory frameworks that encourage innovation rather than suppress it. We must radically reimagine academia’s curricula to produce the creatives and builders that Web3 and AI require.

Look at the women on that list. Nkiru Uwaje, MANSA, leveraging stablecoins to serve underbanked African customers. Daniela Amodei (Anthropic), prioritizing AI safety. Because these women are doing more than creating companies, they’re creating the future.

Here's the hard truth: they can't do it alone. This requires more than a passive defense of diverse teams or community-led planning efforts. We should be funding the next generation of Southeast Asian Web3 creators. To move out of this cycle, we need to redefine what technological innovation looks like beyond a very Western-centric perspective and appreciate the power of local knowledge and expertise.

  • Actionable Advice: Support Southeast Asian Web3 initiatives by donating to their cause.
  • Problem-Solving: Promote cultural preservation and empower indigenous artists by helping grow their community.

This is not a story about Web3 — it’s a story about making the world a more equitable and inclusive place.

The future of Web3 is unified, and it's being shaped by the diverse voices of innovators around the globe, especially in Southeast Asia. CoinDesk’s list is just that—a spark—but it’s within each of our powers to fan those flames. Let's build a future where everyone has a seat at the table, not just a footnote in someone else's story.