EcstaSHE 2026: Crypto Industry Outlook
Looking at 2026, we put together some thoughts from our female professional Web3 community at EcstaSHE by asking: What are your aspirations, and goals for crypto in 2026? And what may be changed for the better in the blockchain industry?
EcstaSHE is Thrilld Labs’ female business community, connecting action-oriented, professional female decision-makers in and around Web3 through panel discussions, fireside chats, a networking environment, newsletter, and more. In the coming months, we will continue organizing monthly panels like our last one, Tokenomics in 2026…What survives the next cycle?, with influential industry figures to share discussions and, we hope, helpful insights into what’s going on in crypto. In Q1, EcstaSHE is Powered by Masternode.one, a crypto market maker with its HQ in Amsterdam.
At EcstaSHE, we also try to showcase what our members are building in Web3, as we believe the future of Web3 is shaped by connectivity and action-driven collaboration. Below, we’ve included what our members and other female builders shared with us: their opinions, thoughts, and reflections on the crypto space in 2026.
Some thoughts on crypto in 2026…
Find EcstaSHE members answers to the following questions below. Where do you see the Web3 space heading next year? What are your wishes or goals for 2026?
Many women expressed the need for less hype and more substance.
Lejla Muratcaus:
Head of Strategic Alliances at Paris Blockchain Week, Lejla, said: “In 2026, the most important work in Web3 will happen off the main stage, in moments that lead to real alignment, not just visibility. [...] For Web3 to keep growing, it will need to expand beyond its own circle and engage more seriously with industries, institutions, and people outside the bubble who don’t identify as “Web3 native.”
Events will play a key role in that shift. Not as spectacles, but as environments where trust and collaboration are built. [...] On a personal level, I want to contribute to a space where more women are present in those environments, not as symbols of inclusion, but as operators, decision-makers, and leaders.”
Zarina Bjorklund Rehn:
Project Manager at Blockchain Sweden, Zarina, told us: “For 2026, my hope is that the industry continues moving away from speculative token design and toward clearer, more purpose-driven use cases.
I’d love to see more transparency and realism in token launches, with incentives that reward actual participation rather than short-term hype. I think that shift is important to help the space mature and be taken more seriously.”
Lorena Billi:
Founder, Author & Speaker, and Community Leader at Furt’Her, Lorena shares: “I wish the industry will focus on developing useful cases in the future and stay grounded.
I wish for more reliability also in the space...last but not least, wishing for a better understanding from people outside of the industry, for objective and broader content and less pump and dump headlines.”
Real world use cases, successful legislation, and Web3’s convergence with other emerging tech is indeed a common theme.
Lisa Cameron:
Lisa was a Member of Parliament from 2015-24 in the UK and is the Founder at UKUS Crypto Alliance. She shares: “I would very much like to see the UKUS Digital Sandbox up and running in 2026 offering opportunities for digital assets companies to engage successfully across both jurisdictions.”
Carina Schuster:
Multimedia journalist Carina also sees the Web3 space heading for new growth: “I believe the Web3 landscape will continue to mature, opening the door to new opportunities across various sectors.
Asset tokenization will likely become more prominent as more brands embrace phygital experiences and blockchain-based ownership models. I'm confident that we'll also see increased trust and adoption of DeFi within traditional financial systems, as well as deeper AI integration to enhance smart contracts and autonomous agents, making these systems smarter, more efficient, and more adaptive.”
Yulia Korovina:
A Founding Member & the Project Lead at BEAST DAO, Yulia shares her perspective, also pointing at AI’s other side: “The AI-bubble grows and spreads around like a fire, overtaking the crypto industry among others.
I wish we all in the crypto space will be wise enough to not trust our data, assets and investment or financial decisions to AI co-pilots, despite their promise for convenience, seamless experience and effortless onboarding.”
And let’s not forget, (industry) health is important, too.
Guneet Kaur:
Dr. Guneet Kaur holds a PhD in Data Science and is currently the Senior Editor at CCN.com. She writes that: “[...] First, I would love to see someone truly solve user experience around wallets and crypto payments. The real question for me is: can crypto payments ever be as simple and intuitive as a bank transfer? I’m hopeful we’ll finally see a solution that can confidently say and prove - yes. Secondly, I hope reality starts to win over hype.
Too often at conferences, you meet “founders” or “CTOs” who can’t clearly explain what their product or service actually does. It makes you wonder how some of these projects even make it onto the stage. [...]. And lastly, I truly hope 2026 brings more visibility and appreciation for women contributing to this industry.”
Emily Rose Dallara:
A startup coaching and advisor with over 17-years of experience, Emily (also prior crypto CMO!), told us: “I think the space NEEDS to be more focused on performance and the humans.
It must focus more on the health and internal operating systems of the leaders in the space so it can move forward more consistently and without the constant chaos.”
Jillian Godsil:
Jillian is a long-standing builder across global Web3 communities, and the Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Blockleaders.io. She shared various learnings with us, by noting that: “The proverb ‘Man proposes, God disposes’ can sum up life. If you had asked me two months ago about my goals in life I would have had a very different answer. Now with a diagnosis of cancer and surgery under my belt, my focus is firmly on my health, recovery and self exploration”.
She added, “Women are always pivoting - life, love, babies, care taking, etc., etc., and sometimes illness - but we do it again and again.”
True. And what about more real impact and female empowerment, then?
Dani Boback:
Head of BDM & Ecosystem at Bundesblock, Dani shares “After spending much of 2025 on the road across the Web3 ecosystem, one thing became clear to me: women are again noticeably underrepresented, which is something we urgently need to change in 2026.
At the same time, as Europe enters a new phase shaped by MiCA, digital identities and global players moving in, it’s essential that the German community actively supports structures like the Bundesblock — because real impact in Web3 doesn’t happen in isolation, it happens collectively.”
Kara Howard:
Co-founder of SI<3> and initiate of Si HER DAO, Kara said: “As a Web3 ecosystem leader and active participant in DAO's and Web3 projects, I see the industry moving from its foundational build phase to the growth phase.
With this comes more structure, processes, consolidation, and a much stronger focus on widening accessibility and driving real-world adoption. To learn more about SI<3>'s ecosystem and what's on the roadmap for next year, check out our recent highlights post.”
Fiona Delaney:
CEO of Origin Chain Networks, Fiona, noted: “2025 was a hugely dynamic year for Web3. [...] Personally, it was a year of innovation, new strengths and new highs, accelerating impact and launching new projects with my collaborators at 'Trip Animal' in NGI Trustchain, EIT Tourism and Mobility and Solana Cypherpunk Colosseum. I'm looking forward to a new token launch, a series of new publications and a new leadership role in 2026.
Wishing all my friends at EcstaSHE the very best - I love learning and sharing experiences, talent and ambitions with some of the brightest minds in emerging tech”.
Last but not least, from our own team.
Aakansha Yadav:
Our Business Development & Research Associate, Aakansha shared: “In 2026, I can see Web3 space moving towards more practical, user-focused adoption, i.e., improving the infrastructure and usability, and making wallets, tokens, and Web3 applications feel more intuitive, less technical and more accessible for everyday users.
In addition, with how uncertain the world seems nowadays, I hope the Web3 space makes financial things easier for people in restrictive areas and regions.”
Kendall Brown:
Thrilld Labs’ Business & Growth Associate, Kendall said: “In 2025, I was amazed by how large and varied the events space in Web3 really is. And because it can be costly or simply difficult to make it to events in-person, the online/hybrid format can provide content directly from key figures and companies in the industry themselves to a broader audience.
I hope to see in 2026 this kind of inclusion and accessibility continued, not only to support those already in Web3 or on the tech side of things, but also to help boost awareness and understanding among a wider, general public too.”
Alexandra Overgaag:
Founder & CEO of Thrilld Labs, Alex shared:
“In 2026, I hope to see that tribalism and vanity metrics will matter less in our industry. I would like to see us, as builders, stick with each other, and to the ethos of transparency and “do no evil”. In business, I hope for less empty ‘synergies’, less bullsh*tters, and more win-win collaboration worldwide (no matter where you are based, who you know, or where you go!!) that ultimately leads to net-positive business outcomes, hopefully also bringing about big, positive spill-over effects to the rest of the world if that’s not too much to ask.
Personally, I would like to meet countless smart builders during IRL events in 2026 and see them, and Thrilld Labs itself, being funded by good investors. Especially when markets are down, the time for real innovation is there”.
Join EcstaSHE
EcstaSHE seeks to connect action-oriented, professional female decision-makers in and around Web3 to enable networking and business collaborations. To this end, EcstaSHE offers regular sessions with panel discussions or fire chats, a siloed networking environment, newsletters, and other growth possibilities.
EcstaSHE members get prioritized access to conference tickets where Thrilld Labs provides giveaways. We also actively build speaking gigs, interviews, and business opportunities (at times) provided by our partners, whilst we also publish articles about business topics. We welcome women from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and expertise levels
During Q1 2026, EcstaSHE is powered by Masternode.one, a crypto market maker with its HQ in Amsterdam. Masternode.one was founded in 2018 as a proprietary trading, technology, and research firm focused on digital assets and decentralized markets. Through the collaboration, Masternode.one helps support the community’s continued growth, not in the last place through monthly live sessions, empowering interviews, and industry research.
One reason why we’re so thrilld (and EcstaSHE-like excited!) to be powered by Masternode.one is because their mission and values closely resonate with our own, as well as the Web3 space in its whole! As part of their founding principles, Masternode.one is strongly committed to the equitable distribution of wealth, across the globe, through an Internet of Value.
To learn more about EcstaSHE and how to get involved, read more here or apply here.
To learn more about what market makers are and why this absolutely matters for the workings of the crypto space, consult also our recent article Market Makers: How They Work and Unknown Unknowns written by the Thrilld Labs team.
About Thrilld Labs
Thrilld, built by Thrilld Labs, lets Web3 professionals find each other, talk business, and build human connections through a fair networking app; online and at industry events.
Thrilld Labs is also building a decentralised app that lets Web3 event organizers sell tickets and enhance their reach as well as attendee engagement.
