Binance’s Yi He named first crypto-native on Fortune MPW

Yi He, co‑chief executive of Binance, became the first crypto‑native executive named to Fortune’s Most Powerful Women in Business list, appearing at No. 64. The recognition followed her promotion to co‑CEO in December 2025.

She shares the co‑CEO title with Richard Teng, who focuses on compliance and regulatory affairs. The company formalized the leadership arrangement after her December elevation.

He entered the cryptocurrency industry in 2014 after a career in Chinese television. She joined OKCoin, now OKX, as a marketing executive and recruited Changpeng Zhao as chief technology officer. The two later co‑founded Binance in 2017. At Binance, Yi He led marketing, branding and global user growth while Zhao managed the technical platform.

Born in 1986 in a rural Sichuan village, Yi He worked in several roles before entering digital assets, including as a travel television host. She taught herself English in her thirties to support the company’s international expansion. She is reported to control about 10% of Binance through a holding company; Changpeng Zhao holds the larger stake.

Yi He enforces a user‑first approach at the exchange. New employees across ranks are required to handle customer support tickets during onboarding. She communicates directly with users on platforms including X, Telegram and WeChat and has responded to scam reports and support queries publicly. After her promotion, she posted that she would “keep up the hard work” in customer service.

Outside the exchange, Yi He leads YZi Labs, the family‑office successor to Binance Labs that rebranded in January 2025. The fund invests in web3, artificial intelligence and biotechnology and is reported to manage more than $10 billion across over 300 portfolio companies. Yi He co‑owns the fund with Changpeng Zhao; the two have three children and were never legally married.

Her elevation to co‑CEO followed work to guide Binance through the aftermath of Zhao’s 2023 guilty plea and a $4.3 billion settlement with U.S. authorities. The company has said her leadership shaped corporate culture and product strategy while Teng handles regulatory matters.

In a post on X, Yi He wrote she was humbled by the listing and described the honor as recognition for a broader community. “I’m truly humbled to be the first crypto‑native executive to receive this recognition on the #FortuneMPW list. The recognition may carry my name, but it belongs to the Binance team, Binance users, Satoshi Nakamoto, and to every member of the crypto community who helped turn this industry from an idea into a global wave.”