Samantha Wang's entry into cryptocurrency came as a detour. In 2013, university classmates Jimmy Zhong and Ray Xiao introduced her to Bitcoin. She made small investments that went toward paying off re
Samantha Wang's entry into cryptocurrency came as a detour. In 2013, university classmates Jimmy Zhong and Ray Xiao introduced her to Bitcoin. She made small investments that went toward paying off remaining tuition. The technology itself didn't captivate her at that point. She failed to see what blockchain might become.
Wang followed her original ambitions after graduation. Her degree centered on radio and television journalism. She moved to Hong Kong and worked as a journalist in that market. Years passed before she heard from Zhong and Xiao again. When she did, both men had bigger plans. The three co-founded IOST, with the company launching in January 2018. The platform positions itself as enterprise-grade blockchain infrastructure for commercial online services.
Wang explained the company's origin through a straightforward observation: existing blockchains cannot process the volume of transactions needed for mainstream adoption. "Take Ethereum," she said. "It does about 15 transactions per second. The platform handles only basic functions. Decentralized applications built on Ethereum move slowly. Users wait extended periods for transactions to confirm."
The IOST platform attacks this scaling challenge through its Proof-of-Believability consensus algorithm, an improvement over Proof-of-Stake designs. The system processes 7,000 to 8,000 transactions per second. "That represents 500 times the speed of Ethereum," Wang stated, "while maintaining both security and decentralization."
Within eight months of launch, IOST ranked among the top 55 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. The company operates six offices across different countries and attracted capital from multiple venture firms. Five major exchanges listed the token: Bitfinex, Binance, Huobi, OKEx, and CEX.IO. Upbit, South Korea's largest exchange, added IOST in late July.
The summer months brought product announcements. June saw the arrival of Everest, IOST's public testnet. The same month introduced Bluehill, an incubator focused on developing decentralized applications within IOST's ecosystem, targeting practical, real-world blockchain use cases. July brought a community hub and a referral program. Within twelve hours of the referral program's launch, the company registered 10,000 new accounts spanning 172 countries. The main site exceeded one million unique visitors. The community grew by over 100,000 members total.
More developments lie ahead. An upgraded testnet comes before mainnet launch. The company will release a blockchain game. Other plans include a Lock-Up Program and updates to the roadmap and website.
The crypto space presents specific obstacles for women. Wang faces them. Chinese blockchain conferences skew heavily male. Wang estimates eight women attend for every hundred participants. "I've received dinner invitations from crypto millionaires interested in using their yachts to impress women," she said. "I decline them. Men motivated by fast money don't interest me."
Her guidance to other women entering the industry emphasizes personal fortitude. Women operate under different standards. They must demonstrate confidence even in moments of doubt. Choosing teammates and mentors who respect women's contributions matters. Wang made her view clear: "Women should receive respect at blockchain conferences, in corporate settings, during professional interactions. That includes not interrupting them, not offering unasked explanations, not treating them with condescension. A handshake and genuine eye contact. When the playing field levels, women show their value."
She pointed to He Yi, Binance's co-founder, as evidence that women reach the industry's highest ranks. He Yi earned recognition and respect throughout the sector.
China uses one platform to organize and empower women in crypto: WeChat. Tencent's messaging app functions as the country's social network and payments system. Twitter and YouTube operate under restrictions. WeChat became the default gathering place. Individual blockchain projects operate 50 or more group chats on the platform. Each group includes 300 to 500 members. One community called Blockchain Ladies counts among its members some of China's most prominent women in the space. Wang considers the group essential. "We discuss projects, build professional networks, share knowledge, support each other," she explained. "The membership includes the most influential women in Chinese blockchain. It creates genuine network effects."
Wang's background in journalism shapes her perspective on blockchain's future. She understands how narratives form and spread. The industry's current focus on price movements masks the technical progress happening behind the scenes. "Speculation generates excitement," she acknowledged, "but price action drowns out the innovations created by talented engineers around the world."
The core of her argument remains uncomplicated: blockchain technology won't generate instant riches for most users. The sector earned that reputation through real wealth-creation examples and considerable speculation. But blockchain works differently. The technology builds long-term value. It can modernize systems that have remained static for decades. The public hasn't absorbed this distinction. "Getting journalists to understand that blockchain transcends a temporary trend requires sustained outreach work," Wang said. "Convincing people in China that decentralization benefits the country introduces another challenge. Both represent education projects spanning years. But the potential payoff makes the effort worthwhile."
