A Texas mother, identified only as Karin, used cryptocurrency to establish financial independence after becoming “unbanked” during a contentious divorce. She argued that crypto assets provided a crucial lifeline, allowing her to pay her children’s tuition and cover expenses when traditional credit systems failed. Her story is being highlighted by the Ripple-funded National Cryptocurrency Association to demonstrate practical, non-speculative uses of digital assets.
A Texas mother named Karin says cryptocurrency provided financial independence after she became “unbanked” during a difficult divorce. She described the experience as being “an invisible person” when a bank rejected her cash mortgage payment because she was not listed on the account.
Karin stored Bitcoin and Ethereum in a self-custodial wallet, which gave her a sense of security. “The fact that there were private keys, and only I had the keys, gave me that ability to be so bold and stand up for myself,” she said.
During legal proceedings, a judge initially ordered her to liquidate crypto holdings for equitable division. She eventually persuaded the court to let her keep the assets by teaching her attorneys and the judge how to use a blockchain explorer to verify the funds had not moved.
With her credit maxed out, she relied on stablecoins to repay people who fronted costs for hotels and rentals. “It was literally safety and stability for my kids,” Karin stated, contrasting her experience with the speculative “crypto bro” narrative.
Her story is promoted by the National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA), a nonprofit founded and funded by Ripple. The NCA aims to showcase practical American crypto use cases beyond get-rich-quick mentalities.
Stellar Development Fund (SDF) director Paul Wong noted similar benefits for marginalized groups, referencing a Ukrainian aid system. “When you distribute universal basic income to a woman, it’s not going to some joint account where, historically, a man has used it for purposes other than the family,” he explained.
Karin, who once chose marriage over law school, has now been accepted to law school and begins this fall. The NCA has categorized her as a trader whose experience underscores crypto’s utility in personal finance.
