Yi He, co-founder and co-CEO of Binance, has been recognized by Fortune Magazine as one of the most powerful women in business. It’s the latest in a string of accolades for a leader who has quietly become the most influential woman in the crypto industry while steering the world’s largest exchange through one of its rockiest chapters.
Fortune’s profile, published in August 2025, framed Yi He as “the most powerful woman in crypto.” Given that she holds a reported 10% equity stake in Binance, making her a multibillionaire, the title is hard to argue with.
From behind the scenes to the top of the org chart
Yi He co-founded the exchange alongside Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, a relationship that predates Binance itself. She had previously hired CZ at OKCoin, another major crypto exchange, before the two went on to build what would become the dominant trading platform in digital assets.
For years, her official title was Chief Customer Service Officer. Her formal ascent came in December 2025, when she was officially appointed co-CEO alongside Richard Teng during Binance Blockchain Week in Dubai.
