Krypto Granny: Generation Why

She is known as the Krypto Granny and at 61 years of age has inspired many people to enter the world of crypto and blockchain. Anita Kalergis first got interested in this exciting space in 2016 when her colleague was talking passionately about smart contracts, Ethereum, whitepapers, and blockchain – “this amazing new technology”.

The Finnish grandmother started to ask questions about blockchain and crypto, which prompted a colleague to invite her events in Dubai’s crypto space. “I went to these events and gained some information about this technology. It excited me then, and it still today excites me.”

'The blockchain is a technology that allows us to trust again'

What the Krypto Granny initially liked about blockchain was how it introduced the element of trust. “The blockchain is a technology that allows us to trust again,” she says.

“If I'm selling, let's say, my car, and you want to buy it, we bring the technology into the picture, that would allow me to check the information related to the car, and that would bring the security to the transaction of the money, the funds. There would not be any middleman, and it would have the element of trust.

“As a grandmother, I cannot think of anything more amazing than my granddaughters being able to live in a world where they could trust again, because looking back we haven't done that well as human beings.”

The Dubai resident started to delve into blockchain around 2018 and began her learning journey at an event in Malta. “I was just there with all these people who actually knew and could explain, except that they couldn't. So, when I was speaking with them and interacting with them, I truly sometimes made them crazy and asked like 10 times.”

Generation Why

A passion and determination to understand led Anita to instinctively question the experts. “I obviously understand what you're saying, but, why?” she asked. “Why do we have this? Or why would I need it? Or why would I invest in this? So, it became the Krypto Granny thing, the question ‘why?’”

This probing attitude has stayed with her, and she isn’t afraid to ask tough questions of experts and thought leaders. “I discuss with them and ask questions; I also demand answers. I understand so I really challenge them gently and respectfully. I think that's very important, and that's how I have gained the information I have.”

Anita also does her own research, follows online discussions, normally on X, listens to podcasts, and interacts with the people she meets. This strategy is working for her, as she regularly gets invited to speak at blockchain events, is a good friend of the Dubai Blockchain Center, and is regarded as a trusted influencer with a healthy social media following.

She stresses the need for beginners to not be afraid to ask questions of experts. “I really encourage them to be brave and have the courage to say, ‘Sorry, I don't understand what you're explaining or what you're telling me.”

The future of money

The Krypto Granny is a “HODLer” – crypto bro speak for someone who buys and holds crypto long term. “I do believe that digital money, digital assets, are the future. We are heading that way. This will not stop. It might slow down, it might take different paths from what we know today, but the future is there.”

While many people are drawn to crypto for the short-term trading thrill, Anita is someone who believes crypto has the power to revolutionize how we view money and give people more financial freedom.

“I've been working since I was 14. I've been earning my money with sweat and blood sometimes, and I believe that I have the right to use my money wherever I want, whenever I want, however I want. And that, unfortunately, is not always the case.”

As blockchain sits at the heart of decentralized finance (DeFi), it has the power to bypass the traditional finance system, intermediaries and banks. However, many of the big financial players now want a slice of the DeFi pie.

“The revolution that I joined did not include the BlackRocks and the JP Morgans and those guys. This is a very personal thing, and I need to emphasize that the freedom for my funds, the freedom for my data, comes down to that I have the control over them.”

The decentralized model, by its very nature, was designed to work around the central model, which includes central banks, investment banks, and fund managers. But this is proving to be a challenge.

“The investment funds and the financial institutes have jumped into the crypto space. Their power is so big, so the control kind of goes their way. And that's not what we wanted. We wanted us to have the power for once.”

 

Listen to the whole interview on The Crypto Radio's live player or the My Crypto Journey podcast.

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