In an industry often defined by volatility, reinvention, and constant change, Lex Martires has built a career by refusing to stay inside a single box.

Known in the Web3 space as “Pancake,” a nickname that stuck from her early community days and now follows her across every platform she shows up on, Lex did not come from a traditional tech or finance background. She is, by profession, a licensed dentist. But over the past few years, she has evolved into a marketer, community builder, founder, host, and one of the more recognizable women navigating Southeast Asia’s crypto ecosystem.

Her story is less about abandoning one identity for another and more about proving that careers no longer need to follow a straight line.

“I’ve been in Web3 since late 2021,” Lex shared. “I started as a moderator, then grew into community management, became a KOL manager, KOL, and Spaces host, before moving into marketing and eventually becoming a founder too.”

From Dental Clinics to Digital Communities

Lex’s transition into Web3 was unconventional even by crypto standards.

“My background is very different from what I do now,” she said. “I graduated with a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the University of the Philippines, so yes, I am a licensed dentist.”

But rather than seeing her previous profession as unrelated, she views it as foundational to the work she does today.

“Dentistry taught me discipline, precision, patience, and service. Web3 taught me speed, creativity, adaptability, and how to build with people.”

That combination, she says, shaped her into someone comfortable wearing multiple hats in a fast-moving industry.

“I like to think of myself as a jack of all trades, but with direction.”

More importantly, the experience changed how she thinks about identity itself.

“These are not separate identities. They are all part of the same growth journey,” she said. “If anything, my story reminds me that people should not be boxed into one path, one title, or one version of themselves."

‍Staying Rooted in the Philippine Web3 Community

Interestingly, Lex’s Web3 journey did not start locally. She first built her presence in the international scene, working with global projects, communities, and KOLs before eventually diving deeper into the Philippine Web3 space.

“I actually started in the international scene first,” she said. “That is where I learned the fundamentals, built my early network, and got comfortable with how fast Web3 moves. Coming back to the local scene felt like a full-circle moment because I could bring everything I learned back home.”

Today, Lex remains deeply embedded in the Philippine Web3 community. She is an active member of several local groups and is part of Baykada, the official BAYC Philippines community, one of the country’s most established NFT collectives.

What makes these spaces meaningful to her is not just the camaraderie, but the calibre of people inside them. Baykada, in particular, is home to a strong concentration of founders, KOLs, builders, and seasoned community leaders, making it one of the most valuable networks in the local Web3 scene.

“Being part of these communities keeps me grounded,” she said. “It reminds me why I started, and it keeps me connected to the people who are actually building the space day to day.”

“The people in Baykada are not just collectors. A lot of them are founders, KOLs, and builders who have been in the space for years,” she said. “The conversations there are real, the network is solid, and you learn so much just by being in the room.”

She believes that real Web3 growth in the Philippines happens at a community level, where builders, creators, and traders support one another regardless of market conditions.

Why She Believes in Blockchain

For Lex, blockchain is more than a technology. It is the foundation of a more open and participatory digital future, and the reason she stayed in the space long after her initial curiosity wore off.

“What I love about blockchain is that it creates new ways for people to participate, build, own, and access opportunities that were once difficult to enter,” she said. “It gives Web3 its foundation, but Web3 is what shows the world what people can actually build on top of it.”

Coming from a more traditional professional path, Lex quickly noticed how different the pace of Web3 felt compared to the industries she was used to.

“Web3 moves so much faster,” she said. “In more traditional fields, growth tends to feel structured and gradual. In Web3, things change almost every day. Trends shift, communities evolve, narratives move quickly, and you have to keep learning if you want to keep up.”

For her, that speed is both the challenge and the thrill.

“That is what I love about Web3. It pushes you to adapt, create, and think fast,” Lex said. “You cannot stay too comfortable because the space keeps moving, and that constant motion is what makes it exciting.”

She believes this environment is what shaped her into someone more flexible, curious, and open to growth, and what eventually opened the door to every role she now holds.

“I believe in blockchain because it does not just power technology,” she said. “It creates space for people to build, evolve, and become part of something bigger than themselves.”

Growing Into Leadership at MEXC

Today, Lex serves as Marketing Manager and spokesperson for Southeast Asia at MEXC while also co-founding Alpha Intel, a trading community and Web3 media platform.

She describes her current role as one that accelerated both her professional and personal growth.

“I really love what I’m doing at MEXC because it has helped me grow both professionally and personally,” she said.

Her responsibilities extend far beyond marketing campaigns.

She has represented MEXC across regional initiatives, handled campaign planning, content creation, event organization, PR, and community engagement, while also acting as one of the platform’s visible public-facing voices in Southeast Asia.

“What I appreciate the most is that MEXC empowers me not just to execute, but also to lead, create, and bring ideas to life,” she said. “For me, it is only going up from here.”

Building Alpha Intel

Before her role at MEXC, Lex co-founded Alpha Intel, a community and media platform built around trading education, market insights, and connecting Web3 builders across the region.

For her, Alpha Intel is an extension of everything she has learned across her journey, part community, part classroom, part newsroom.

“Alpha Intel exists because we wanted to create a space where traders, especially newer ones, could learn, share alpha, and grow together,” she said. “Not everyone has access to the same information, and we wanted to help close that gap.”

The platform has also become a space where she gets to highlight something the broader industry often overlooks: skilled women in trading.

“In Alpha Intel, we have women traders who are very active, strategic, and capable,” she said. “They are not just participating. They are contributing, leading, and proving that skill has no gender.”

The Quiet Challenge Women Still Face in Web3

While Lex says she personally has not felt blocked from opportunities because she is a woman, she believes underrepresentation and underestimation remain persistent realities in the industry.

“One of the biggest unspoken challenges is being underestimated before you even get the chance to prove yourself,” she said.

“Sometimes, women are placed into boxes based on what people assume they can do, rather than being seen for the full range of what they are capable of.”

The challenge, she argues, is not simply visibility, but ensuring women are recognized for substance rather than symbolism.

“Women are already here, but are still underrepresented, and many are still underestimated,” she said. “The real challenge is making sure women are not tokenized, overlooked, or placed into boxes.”

At the same time, she sees signs of meaningful progress, particularly inside emerging trading and education communities where women are increasingly stepping into leadership, not just participation.

A Bear Market Reality Check

Lex also offered a grounded view of the current Web3 landscape, particularly as the market continues to navigate prolonged bear-market conditions.

“The bear market is where real communities are tested,” she said. “What you build in the bear, you usually reap in the bull.”

She noted that many Philippine Web3 communities have evolved significantly over the past few years as hype-driven sectors cooled and users adapted to changing market conditions.

“I’ve noticed that the trend in Web3 is constantly changing,” she explained. “Communities that used to focus on one niche are now evolving.”

Gaming and NFT-focused groups, for example, have increasingly expanded into trading, education, infrastructure, and broader ecosystem-building.

For her, adaptability has become one of the industry’s most important survival skills.

“My advice is not to lock yourself into just one niche,” she said. “Learn the different sides of Web3. Trends come and go.”

“I started in NFTs, and now I am more involved in trading and marketing.”

‘Just Go For It’

Asked what advice she would give women entering Web3, trading, or marketing, Lex emphasized consistency over perfection.

“Do not let fear stop you from starting,” she said.

She encouraged newcomers to experiment publicly, even before feeling fully confident.

“Try new formats, follow trends, create content, and allow yourself to be a little cringe at first.”

She also stressed the importance of visibility and relationships in a heavily network-driven industry.

“A lot of my own opportunities came through referrals from people who already knew me,” she said. “Building the right network matters.”

For her, long-term growth in Web3 belongs to people willing to keep showing up even when momentum slows.

“Keep building, especially in the bear market,” she said. “If you keep showing up, contributing, creating content, helping communities, networking with the right people, and making yourself visible, people will remember your work.”

Lex’s story ultimately reflects a broader shift happening across technology and digital industries: careers are becoming increasingly fluid, multidisciplinary, and self-directed.

For aspiring builders, especially women hesitant about entering male-dominated spaces, her message is less about having the perfect background and more about being willing to evolve.

“Stay open. Keep learning, keep adapting, and do not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone,” she said.

“Growth comes from being curious, brave, consistent, and willing to learn. You do not need permission to start. You just need to begin.”

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