Women working in the crypto segment earn, on average, 15% more than men, comprising a larger proportion of mid-level and senior positions, representing what is called a reversed gender pay gap.

A recent study by Pantera Research Lab revealed that crypto professionals display a rare example of a “reversed” gender wage gap, with women working in the segment making nearly 15% more than their male counterparts.

The compensation survey found that the median salary of a female crypto professional is $172,000, while men in the industry earn 14.67% less – $150,000. This tendency is in sharp contrast with the typical gender pay gap observed in all other non-crypto-related companies. As a rule, women across the globe only make $0.84 for every dollar that men earn. The only other registered example of a reversed pay gap is compensation received by producers and directors in the entertainment industry.

The gender pay gap is a difference in the median salary amount received by representatives of different genders. It doesn’t commonly appear due to unequal pay (paying women less than men for the same work), as the practice is discriminative and illegal in most civilised countries. Typically, the reason is gender inequality at the workplace, with the vast majority of senior executive (hence, well-paid) jobs taken by men. As a result,?men own 50% more wealth than women worldwide.

Pantera Research Lab surveyed 502 respondents for the given study, claiming the research to be the largest of its kind to date. As for possible study limitations, all the respondents were based in the U.S. and employed full-time. Therefore, the situation may differ for crypto professionals in other regions.

The firm believes the reversed gender pay gap in the crypto industry might be attributed to the difference in experience observed between genders. Women in crypto surveyed tended to have spent over five years in their current roles, often being in mid-level to senior positions. Meanwhile, a larger proportion of men occupied entry-level positions as they only started their transition into the crypto industry.

Nevertheless, the study suggests that crypto offers better opportunities for women compared to more traditional fields, including Web2 tech.