Crypto-Astrology, Witchcraft And Magic Are Growing Niches In The Blockchain Industry

At midnight on Halloween last year, an online collective called the Crypto Coven launched a series of 3,333 code-generated non-fungible tokens (NFTs). They represent playful, pixelated witches who clash with the masculine energy of your typical NFT. Everyone has their own archetype – a seer, mage, occultist, etc. – and its astrological chart. A witch, for example, named “Elegy, the Stunning Crystal,” is an enchantress with a Leo rising sign. In mid-March, it was valued at just over 0.04 ETH, or $117.

“Witches roam the strange wildernesses of the world, fearless and unhindered,” states the Crypto Coven website. “May you take them into the metaverse and wander.”

Crypto Coven is one of a surprising number of cryptocurrency collectives working at the intersection of mystic arts and Web3. There are wizarding educational communities that offer resources to demystify crypto and astrologers who publish coin analyzes or forecasts for the next big wave. The pairing is not intuitive, no pun intended: witchcraft and astrology are ancient arts that harness the power of Earth’s natural rhythms, while blockchain technology is a new field that has been linked to environmental destruction and, quote, “dumb crypto brethren”. Despite this contrast, witches and astrologers are making a name for themselves in crypto, using magic and the stars to bring more women into the field, influence the industry, and earn some money in the process.

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“In the 1600s, ‘witches’ were financially independent women who were gifted with herbs and faced savage persecution,” says Shirin Carmel Bucknam, co-founder of online community Crypto Witch Club. “Even now, people still get upset when women try to claim space or money,” she says. This translates into fewer women involved in the nascent industry: A November 2021 Pew Center report found that less than 20% of women aged 18-29 have invested, traded or used cryptocurrency, compared to more 40% of men of the same age. .

Founded in August 2021, Crypto Witch Club provides free advice on using blockchain technology and guides blockchain-related brands. Although Bucknam and co-founder Kaitlin McGowan, who together ran a public relations agency, do not personally identify as witches, they have sought to permanently reclaim those negative associations.

What is a DAO if not a kind of technological coven?

Bucknam sees witches as an essential part of the crypto economy. “Part of witchcraft is setting intentions and having an open mind,” the 33-year-old explains. “It’s important to trust yourself when entering a volatile market,” she adds, citing the investing maxim “know what you own.” “Open-mindedness is key because when learning about blockchain and cryptocurrency, you really have to break your traditional way of thinking.”

On TikTok, astrologer Maren Altman often goes viral for her crypto-related videos. She started investing just before she graduated from college in 2020 and quickly saw the inefficiencies and “general red tape of traditional finance,” the 23-year-old told Bustle. After discovering cryptocurrency, she discovered that she had a knack for trading, thanks to her astrological analysis and technical know-how. Altman thinks part of the reason astrologers, who often don’t have a background in finance, can thrive in this space is that there are fewer barriers to entry compared to the legacy financial system, because it is so new. Money, says Altman, is “hard management.”

Michelle Pellizzon is the founder of wellness platform Holisticism, which also offers intuitive financial education. She thinks witches can contribute to the crypto and NFT space because, first of all, we “need more witches everywhere,” she tells Bustle. Witches are the ultimate community builders, she adds, and what is a DAO – aka a decentralized autonomous organization – if not a kind of technological coven?

“Women and non-binary people who prioritize community care, intuition, healing, pleasure, the planet and [who] leading with curiosity provides a unique and valuable perspective to this space,” says Pellizzon. Witches may also be drawn to the world of cryptocurrency, she says, as a way to heal “the witch’s wound,” or some kind of ancestral trauma. Ensuring witches are “paid for their gifts” is one way to effect this healing, “and NFTs offer a cool way to do that,” she says.

But while some mystical practitioners are excited about the possibilities of Web3, others are more wary of the ethical implications. Amanda Moreno, astrologer, witch and member of the International Astrological Ethics Association, notes that “financial astrology and money magick have been around for a long time,” pointing to practices such as spell casting or tracking planetary transits to enlighten the monetary decision. -manufacturing. Although she asserts that there is nothing inherently wrong with using astrology or witchcraft for financial gain, “it is important to consider whether someone is being harmed or taken advantage of in the process, and what will be done with the gain”.

It’s easy to point out the potential harms of cryptocurrency (hence the many, many, many skeptics). From an environmental impact perspective, today’s cryptocurrencies use huge amounts of energy to mine, and “it’s unethical to overlook this fact,” says Moreno. And because crypto markets are “volatile and high-risk, it probably makes more sense to take financial advice from financial advisors rather than astrologers or witches,” she adds.

Still, members of the crypto team emphasize that money is energy, energy is power, and understanding this new realm is key to harnessing that power. “The best way to grow our voices, our investments and our contribution in the space – from cryptocurrency to Web3 – is to be educated and involved,” says Bucknam. “The community is what creates a safe space to ask questions, grow and feel confident as an investor.”

She adds, “Major coven vibes.”