At Phantom, we believe in highlighting the talented individuals who are driving the future of crypto. As we continue to build and push the boundaries of what’s possible, we want to showcase the experiences of women on our team who are making a lasting impact.
In this post, we feature Alex Barnes, a Staff Product Manager at Phantom, and her journey into crypto—how she went from frustration with the traditional financial system to helping build not just the leading self-custodial wallet, but a next-generation consumer finance platform.
Alex’s story isn’t just about working in crypto—it’s about solving critical problems for users, leading teams to push the boundaries of product innovation, and shaping the industry’s future.
A frustration with finance led to a career in crypto
Alex’s introduction to crypto wasn’t through a bull run or a fascination with blockchain technology. It was something far more personal: buying a home. “There was just so much bureaucracy, so many intermediaries,” she recalls. “I kept thinking—why do I need all these third parties to verify something that should be straightforward? Why don’t I have more direct control over my own assets?”
That experience planted the seed. It made her question the limitations of traditional finance and search for alternatives. That’s when she discovered crypto’s potential—not just as an investment vehicle, but as a fundamentally different way to interact with money. “I was really drawn to crypto for the idea of using technology to unlock true autonomy over your own assets,” she says. “The fact that I could transact directly with someone—without needing an institution to validate it? That was powerful.”
But as she went deeper, she realized something else: crypto was broken for most people. The space was complex, intimidating, and full of risks—with scams, technical hurdles, and security concerns creating barriers for everyday users. If crypto was truly going to revolutionize finance, the experience needed to be safer, simpler, and more accessible.
That’s what brought Alex to Phantom.
From wallet to consumer finance platform: The evolution of Phantom
For many, a crypto wallet is just a tool—a place to store digital assets. But Phantom is evolving into something much bigger. "A wallet is just the beginning," Alex explains. "Phantom is becoming a consumer finance platform—a place where people can not only store assets but seamlessly interact with financial tools." This shift is about simplifying everything—from swapping assets and managing self-custody to helping users navigate decentralized finance (DeFi) in a way that feels intuitive and safe.
"Crypto shouldn't be intimidating," she says. "It should be as easy as using a banking app—but with the added power and freedom of crypto." At Phantom, Alex plays a critical role in shaping this next-generation finance experience. Her job isn't just about launching features—it's about solving complex problems in a space where user trust is everything.
"Being product-led means we don't just react to what's out there—we push things forward," she said. "We constantly ask: How do we make this experience better for users?"
One of the biggest challenges in crypto is balancing security and usability. It's not enough to give users full control over their assets—they also need confidence that they're making safe and informed decisions.
"We've built features like transaction simulation so users can see exactly what they're signing before they approve a transaction. That's something that should be standard across wallets—but isn't. We're changing that." Phantom is focused on bringing the best of decentralized finance into one unified experience. By prioritizing security, usability, and trust, the platform is moving beyond just wallets and creating a financial ecosystem designed for the next generation of users.
"The crypto space can feel like the Wild West," she says. "We're here to make it feel more like home. "We're not just a wallet," she says. "We're creating a safe, intuitive, and powerful financial hub for crypto users."
Leading with a user-first mindset
Alex believes that the best way to build for users is to be one yourself. “I live and breathe crypto,” she says. “I know what I need from a finance platform, and I talk to others constantly to understand their needs too.”
That user-first mindset is what sets Phantom’s product team apart. Every feature is designed not just to solve problems but to anticipate them—making the experience more seamless and proactively protecting users from risks. “We care a lot,” she says. “Whether it’s a tweet, a support ticket, or a conversation with a user, we take their concerns seriously. Even though Phantom is self-custody, we’re the layer that enables people to transact. That’s a huge responsibility, and we don’t take it lightly.”
This obsession with user experience is what continues to push Phantom forward.
Being a woman in crypto: Breaking barriers through leadership
Crypto has long been male-dominated, and product leadership is no exception. But at Phantom, Alex found an environment where she could focus on building rather than proving herself. “I’ve worked in places where, as a woman, you feel like you have to establish credibility first before your ideas are taken seriously,” she says. “That hasn’t been my experience here.”
At Phantom, execution speaks louder than anything else. The culture is low ego, high impact—meaning great ideas win, no matter where they come from. “There’s no posturing, no hierarchy games,” she says. “Everyone here is focused on making the product better—and that’s what makes it such a great place to work.”
She sees this collaborative, impact-driven culture as one of Phantom’s biggest strengths. “I’ve been in rooms where speaking up as a woman meant walking a fine line between being assertive and being seen as ‘too much.’ At Phantom, I can just be a product leader. And that’s incredibly freeing.”
She also recognizes the importance of representation and mentorship in bringing more women into crypto. “The more women we see thriving in crypto, the more others will feel like they belong here too,” she says. “It’s not just about diversity—it’s about making sure the people building the future of finance represent everyone, not just a select few.”
A defining moment: Breakpoint 2022
For Alex, one of the most career-defining moments at Phantom came at Breakpoint 2022, Solana’s flagship conference. She expected to learn from the experience, but she didn’t realize just how deeply it would impact her view on the role Phantom plays on users’ lives.
“I had never attended a Solana conference or represented Phantom in person before,” she recalls. “It’s easy when you’re behind a computer to lose sight of the impact of what you do. You’re shipping features, analyzing data, pushing out updates—but it’s all through a screen.”
Walking into the conference, Alex wasn’t sure what to expect. Then she started talking to Phantom users—developers, traders, NFT creators, and newcomers to crypto who had built their financial lives around the product she was helping shape. “I had people coming up to me, saying Phantom was the reason they felt safe navigating crypto,” she says. “They told me how they trusted Phantom more than any other crypto product. Some said they’d been burned by bad experiences elsewhere but felt confident using Phantom because of the security features we built. That was surreal.”
One interaction stood out. A longtime user shared how they had almost fallen for a phishing attack but caught it in time because of Phantom’s transaction simulation feature. “They told me, ‘If Phantom hadn’t flagged that transaction, I would’ve lost everything.’ That hit me. It made me realize that what we’re building isn’t just about usability—it’s about protecting people in a space where trust is fragile.”
For Alex, Breakpoint wasn’t just about celebrating Phantom’s success—it’s a reminder of the responsibility that comes with being a leader driving our product strategy at a company that people rely on to safeguard their assets. “In an industry that’s had its fair share of bad actors, Phantom is actually making a difference,” she says. “We’re not just making crypto easier to use—we’re making it safer. And hearing that directly from users? That was a moment I’ll never forget.”
Pushing the boundaries of crypto
For Alex, this is just the beginning.
Phantom is constantly evolving—pushing beyond the idea of a traditional wallet and redefining how people interact with consumer finance.
“We’re not just building a product,” she says. “We’re making crypto safer, easier, and more accessible. And we need the best minds—from every background—to help us do it.”
If you’re ready to help shape the future of consumer finance, now’s the time to be part of it.
