Binance co-CEO Yi He has been named to Fortune's Most Powerful Women list, a recognition that underscores the rising profile of women in the cryptocurrency sector. The annual list, published this week, spotlights leaders across industries — and Yi He's inclusion marks one of the highest-profile nods for a female executive in digital assets.
A nod from Fortune
Yi He has been with Binance since its early days, helping steer the exchange through regulatory battles and market cycles. Her role as co-CEO alongside Richard Teng puts her at the top of the world's largest crypto exchange by volume. Fortune's list doesn't rank individuals, but the publication's editors select women who wield significant influence in their fields. For Yi He, it's a public acknowledgment of the quiet power she's held for years.
Women in crypto gain ground
The crypto industry has long been male-dominated — a 2023 study pegged women at roughly 15% of the workforce, and executive ranks are even thinner. Yi He's recognition doesn't change those numbers overnight, but it does put a face on the shift that's been slowly happening. A handful of other women have been named to similar lists in recent years — think founders of exchanges or leaders of blockchain foundations — but this is one of the few times a sitting co-CEO of a top-five exchange has made the cut.
What it signals for Binance
For Binance, the timing is interesting. The company has spent the past two years trying to rebuild trust after a series of regulatory settlements and a change in top management. Having its co-CEO celebrated by a mainstream business magazine like Fortune gives the exchange a kind of legitimacy that no press release can buy. It also sends a signal to potential hires — especially women — that leadership at Binance isn't a closed club.
The broader tech industry has been wrestling with diversity pledges that often stall. A concrete example from crypto's biggest player might carry more weight than another corporate mission statement. Yi He's spot on the list won't fix the pipeline problem by itself, but it does tell young women considering a career in crypto that the ceiling isn't as low as it used to be.
