Article Author: Echo, MetaEra

In October 2024, HashKey's platform token HSK officially launched for trading. As the core of the HashKey ecosystem, HSK adheres to the philosophy of "HSK for ALL," being widely used in various core scenarios of the HashKey ecosystem and continuously expanding external community collaborations, gradually building a comprehensive Web 3.0 value map.

This significant moment is inseparable from a woman—Kay, the CEO of HashKey Eco Labs. As one of the core promoters of the HSK project, Kay, with her strong financial background and unique understanding of the crypto market, led the team to successfully complete the listing of HSK and demonstrated the leadership of a female CEO in the operation of HashKey Chain. She seems to possess a kind of power that keeps her energetic, determined, and constantly on the move.

Her long-term work style, the convergence of her diverse professional background, and her personal life experiences have shaped who she is today. Her career is filled with cross-border innovation, from traditional finance to Web 3.0, Kay has always stood at the forefront of the times, exploring the integration of technology and business, and continuously reaping the fruits of her labor.

Knowledge Begins in Hong Kong, Career Thrives in Hong Kong

Kay's career began in the traditional finance sector. She completed her studies in finance in Hong Kong and accumulated considerable experience in the financial industry. In 2019, Kay accidentally came across Ethereum and began researching it as an investment target. With a deeper understanding of blockchain technology, she gradually realized its potential to redefine human production relationships and drive societal change.

"Blockchain is not just a technology; it is a rethinking of the entire social structure," Kay stated in an interview. It was this profound understanding of the industry that prompted her to join Bybit in 2021, where she was responsible for the research institute and strategic investment in spot trading. In 2024, Kay joined HashKey, overseeing the listing and management of the ecological token HSK and leading the operations of HashKey Eco Labs.

"HashKey Eco Labs is a virtual organization, with two core components: the HSK Foundation and HashKey Chain," she elaborated. "Tokens and chains form the foundation of our entire HashKey Eco Labs."

As she expanded and climbed in her youth, now at different stages, those unforeseen scenes have quietly unfolded. When discussing the opportunity to join HashKey, Kay candidly said, "At that time, there were two dimensions to consider. First, from my personal career development perspective, I had been involved in listings for quite a while, accumulating sufficient understanding of the industry, project evaluation, and various sectors, but I always wanted the opportunity to truly practice my understanding of this industry, whether through investment or directly working on a project; second, HashKey itself is an institution with the most potential under a compliant background recognized by the industry consensus, and compliance is the biggest trend of this era, as well as the source of the next cycle of Web3 growth. Being able to explore and execute a project within the framework of compliance is itself enough to attract me."

She continued, "HashKey has a rich business line, providing support in terms of connections, experience, and brand resources, which is also an important reason for my joining. At that time, the issuance of HSK was still in the preparatory stage, and after I joined, I was able to build the narrative from the beginning, streamline processes, and communicate with regulators and various partners, ultimately successfully listing the token in October." In her words, years of experience flowed like a stream, and she seemed like a large tree in autumn, gradually returning strength to its roots.

When asked about her daily life, "Most of my life is filled with work," Kay smiled slightly awkwardly, "I mainly focus on management functions, including strategic planning, internal and external collaboration, and expanding industry influence. Our team is distributed globally, and many meetings are conducted remotely. We drive matters through efficient project management capabilities, coordinating internal and external resources. I also have some external communication work to garner more supporters and partners for HashKey Chain. In my limited personal time, I play sports and work out." This CEO, amidst her busy work, still maintains the habit of a researcher, dedicating time every day to review the latest projects, track trends, and stay updated on industry dynamics. To maintain sensitivity to the market, she keeps her enthusiasm for trading alive.

"I will spend more time in Hong Kong this year," Kay ambitiously shared with us during a break while exercising on a Singapore court. She hopes to break down the barriers between Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 through the HashKey Chain public chain project. "We will start from Hong Kong, telling the world our mission and vision. I will use my identity and voice to explain what we are doing, why we are doing it, and how we are doing it. While promoting the brand to the world, we will also continuously refine our public chain products internally, optimize operations, and ensure that every step is taken more steadily and excellently."

"What we are doing is a venture with a grand vision." Kay smiled happily, her ambition burning brightly as she moves forward with determination.

From a Female Perspective: Female Employees, Female Users, Female Entrepreneurs

There are hundreds of employees in the HashKey Group, with a high degree of flattening, maintaining an efficient organizational structure. Not only are there female leaders in operational or supportive departments, but many business line leaders are also women.

In this interview about her strength, we also discussed the issue of gender stereotypes. Kay believes that the biggest stereotype is the stereotype itself. Women are often labeled as emotionally delicate and good at communication, but these traits are not limited; they can be transformed into advantages in the workplace.

"All characteristics have two sides," Kay explained. "Women are emotionally delicate, which can help them better understand the needs of the team, but it can also make them susceptible to emotional influences when making decisions. The key is how to transform these characteristics into advantages rather than being limited by them."

"Among the leaders I often collaborate with, there are quite a few women," Kay continued. "We do not impose restrictions on positions based on gender; we focus more on ability and experience. Women’s advantages in communication, expression, and overall management are indeed quite evident, which is why we have a higher proportion of women in operational, branding, and marketing roles."

Gender should not be a barrier to career development; true equality lies in providing equal opportunities for everyone, rather than setting preconditions based on gender. HashKey is culturally willing to offer female colleagues more equal work opportunities without gender limitations; internally, it regularly organizes sharing sessions between female leaders and colleagues to share personal management perspectives. Additionally, HashKey pays attention to the growth of female developers. Although the voices of female developers in the market are relatively small, they are equally excellent. To this end, HashKey plans to hold special hackathons or workshops from the perspective of the public chain ecosystem to create more opportunities for female developers to showcase and express themselves.

Expanding on this, when the topic turned to female entrepreneurs, Kay pointed out that female entrepreneurs often excel in project delivery and community communication, a skill particularly important in the current market environment.

"The Web 3.0 industry is shifting from a technology-driven and narrative-driven phase to one that emphasizes actual delivery and community trust," Kay stated. "The advantages of female entrepreneurs in this regard are becoming increasingly evident. They can not only clearly articulate the vision of a project but also implement it in a structured manner."

Advice: Jump Right In and Fully Exercise Initiative

For women who have yet to enter the Web 3.0 industry, Kay's advice is straightforward: "Just jump right in." She believes that the Web 3.0 industry offers more diverse and flexible opportunities, making it very suitable for capable women facing real-world pressures. The decentralized and distributed collaborative model of Web 3.0 provides more opportunities for women, whether they want to engage in media promotion, marketing, or technical development; they can find a suitable position in this field.

For women who have already entered the Web 3.0 industry, Kay encourages them to maintain their passion and curiosity for the industry and to actively seize opportunities. She emphasizes that the Web 3.0 industry is full of uncertainties but also abundant with opportunities. Women have unique advantages in this industry, and as long as they maintain their enthusiasm and belief, they can certainly achieve success in this field.

Kay Lu Profile

Kay Lu graduated from The Chinese University of Hong Kong. She is currently the CEO of HashKey Eco Labs and a co-founder of JN1 Capital. She has worked at PwC and Huawei CloudBU. In 2021, she joined Bybit, responsible for the research institute and strategic investment in spot trading, and in 2024, she joined HashKey Eco Labs, leading the management of the platform token HSK and the operations of HashKey Chain.