The Journey of Female Leaders in Encryption: From Wall Street to the Forefront of Blockchain

In this rapidly changing era, women are writing their own legendary stories in various fields with unique perspectives and resilient determination. Today, we will focus on Annabelle, the CEO of Altius, whose experiences not only reflect personal growth but also illuminate the rise of female strength in the tide of the times.

From Traditional Finance to the Encryption World

In 2011, Annabelle entered Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) to study Mathematics and Finance. Her choice of major was largely influenced by her family; her father worked in finance and her mother focused on physics and structural engineering, creating an environment that fostered her strong interest in science and engineering. Annabelle admits that it was her learning experience at CMU that laid the foundation for her future career transition.

After graduation, Annabelle entered Wall Street with excellent grades and worked for several well-known financial institutions. However, as financial regulations became increasingly stringent, she felt that the space for innovation in traditional finance was limited, and began to contemplate new development directions.

In 2017, the rise of cryptocurrency pointed Annabelle towards a new path. Through the introduction of a university alumnus, she learned about Blockchain and the Ethereum ecosystem and decided to immerse herself in this emerging field. In 2018, Annabelle officially joined a decentralized exchange, responsible for the expansion of the Asian market, marking her formal entry into the field of crypto finance.

During this experience, Annabelle gained an in-depth understanding of the operational mechanisms and technical challenges of decentralized finance (DeFi), especially the potential and limitations of Blockchain technology in terms of transaction efficiency and security. She realized the lag in traditional finance during the clearing and trading processes and is determined to leverage Blockchain technology to expand the application scenarios of traditional finance.

Innovation Inspires Passion: The Journey from 0 to 1

Annabelle is not only a worker but also a practitioner who constantly thinks and creates. She enjoys the process from 0 to 1, and this attitude is fully reflected in her career.

At the end of 2018, in response to the common issue of insufficient on-chain liquidity in the industry, Annabelle decided to leverage her background and experience in investment banking to establish a liquidity provider, offering liquidity support for decentralized trading platforms. This decision led her to join a new encryption financial company.

During her six years at the company, Annabelle led the team in the development of multiple new products from 0 to 1, expanded new businesses, and created new brands. She experienced the company's full development process from the initial hedge fund products to later liquidity-related secondary market trading products, and then to primary market investments and even incubation.

However, as the company gradually matured and stabilized, Annabelle developed new ideas. She stated: "I personally prefer building from 0 to 1, including trying out some new businesses, new products, and new technologies." Therefore, she decided to start a new venture and founded Altius Labs in 2024.

Altius Labs is dedicated to addressing the issues present in traditional Blockchain systems, such as network congestion, high transaction costs, and insufficient scalability. Annabelle hopes to fundamentally solve these problems by developing a modular execution stack that is independent of virtual machines (VM).

Pursuing Sustainable Development

As a woman leader who constantly challenges herself, Annabelle admits that the cryptocurrency finance industry, while helping her achieve her dreams, also places high demands on her.

"In the face of the huge changes in the industry and the volatility of the market, maintaining rationality and calm thinking is a great challenge. Annabelle recalled: 'In the early days of starting my business, I felt like I was sprinting every day, and I was a bit impatient, always hoping to see results in the short term.'"

However, after experiencing several rounds of industry cycles, Annabelle's perspective has changed. She is now more focused on "sustainability," seeking a long-term effective way of working and living. Although work remains the focus of her life, she no longer only concentrates on "execution" and "quick results," but rather engages more in "thinking" and "evaluation."

This concept also influenced her team's management style. She emphasized: "When faced with a situation, rather than responding and executing immediately, it is more important to accurately assess the severity, importance, and priority of the matter. It is better to take a little more time to evaluate."

Outlook for the Future

Annabelle is confident about the future of the Web3 industry and is willing to work more deeply and experiment with the team in this field. She is delighted to see more and more young women entering this industry and having the opportunity to become independent female leaders.

"From my observations, including those of female leaders around me and the women in my team, they are better able to adapt to this volatile market," Annabelle said. "They do not show particularly excited emotions during the industry's boom periods, nor do they feel disheartened during the industry's downturns; their emotions are relatively stable. I think this is an advantage of women in this field, and they can also more acutely capture the emotional changes of others, showing greater empathy."

Annabelle encourages more young women to enter this industry, believing that the best way to learn is through trying. Whether it is joining established companies to gain experience, participating in startups to be at the forefront of the times, or even starting their own businesses, no opportunity should be missed. She emphasizes that regardless of success or failure, each attempt is part of growth.

In the face of difficulties, challenges, and even failures, Annabelle advises to "maintain a positive mindset, accumulate experience, and continue to prepare for the next battle."

Annabelle offered some advice for young women on how to choose a company. She believes that when considering early-stage companies, the quality of the team is more important than the overall business direction. Integrity, honesty, and positive motivation are standards that should never be compromised.

Annabelle's experience vividly illustrates the important role women can play in the rapidly changing fintech sector. Her story not only inspires more women to engage in this industry filled with opportunities and challenges but also injects new vitality into the overall diversification of the sector.