He Yi: Binance co-founder and the voice of women in crypto

In a sector often defined by volatility and velocity, Yi He ( 何一 ) stands out as a builder whose influence spans product, venture investment, and industry narrative. As Binance’s co‑founder and a key driver of its ecosystem initiatives, her journey illustrates how female leadership can reshape crypto from the inside out—prioritizing user growth, compliance, and long‑term value creation.

From startup grit to shaping a global exchange

Yi He co‑founded Binance in 2017 and helped steer the company through hypergrowth and market cycles by coupling sharp product intuition with ecosystem strategy. Beyond exchange operations, she has been closely associated with the venture arm, Binance Labs, which announced a $500 million fund to back Web3 projects—an effort widely covered as being led by the co‑founder, signaling a clear focus on builders and infrastructure that matter for mass adoption. See coverage of the fund and mandate in TechCrunch for context: https://techcrunch.com/2022/06/02/binance-labs-500m-fund/

On the product side, Binance evolved its content platform Binance Feed into Binance Square—a social layer designed to connect creators, projects, and users within the Web3 economy. This underscores a broader thesis: distribution and education are as critical as liquidity. Read more on the platform’s positioning in the Binance announcement: https://www.binance.com/en/blog/ecosystem/binance-feed-evolves-into-binance-square--the-next-gen-social-platform-for-web3-991796510313565491

Navigating the post‑2023 compliance pivot

Industry leadership is tested during inflection points. After the U.S. Department of Justice settlement in late 2023 and subsequent leadership changes at Binance, the exchange has been in a rebuilding phase focused on compliance, transparency, and governance improvements. For background, see the Reuters report on the leadership transition and DOJ resolution: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/binance-founder-changpeng-zhao-step-down-plead-guilty-us-money-laundering-charges-2023-11-21/ and the DOJ press release detailing the case and compliance requirements: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/binance-chief-executive-officer-pleads-guilty-violations-us-anti-money-laundering-laws

Yi He’s continued influence within Binance’s ecosystem illustrates a key lesson for founders and operators: durable crypto businesses are increasingly built at the intersection of product excellence and regulatory resilience.

The female force in crypto is real—and growing

Despite persistent gaps in representation, the trajectory for women in crypto is positive, especially across product, compliance, research, and venture. The World Economic Forum has documented the need—and opportunity—for greater participation of women in digital finance and blockchain, with education and accessibility as pivotal levers. A useful overview is available via the WEF’s commentary on women in crypto: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/03/women-in-crypto/

Role models matter. Leaders like Yi He bring visibility to the contribution women are making in a field that prizes meritocracy, open‑source collaboration, and global reach.

2024–2025 market dynamics shaping the next cycle

• Spot Bitcoin ETFs have accelerated mainstream exposure, driving liquidity and institutional comfort with the asset class. For a summary of the U.S. approval, see CNBC’s coverage: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/10/sec-approves-first-us-spot-bitcoin-etfs.html
• Europe’s MiCA framework is transitioning from legislative text to practical supervision, impacting stablecoins and exchange licensing. Founders and operators should monitor ESMA’s implementing measures and the European Commission’s overview: https://www.esma.europa.eu/press-news/esma-news/mica-implementing-measures and https://finance.ec.europa.eu/regulation-and-supervision/financial-services-legislation/markets-crypto-assets-mica_en
• Tokenization of real‑world assets continues to gain policy and infrastructure support—track the Bank for International Settlements’ research to understand how market plumbing may evolve: https://www.bis.org/publ/bppdf_bispap130.htm
• Global crypto adoption remains uneven but resilient, with emerging markets often leading usage for payments, remittances, and savings. Chainalysis’s latest index provides a clear map of where adoption is strongest: https://www.chainalysis.com/blog/2024-global-crypto-adoption-index/

Against this backdrop, building user trust—through education, transparency, and strong custody practices—has never been more essential.

What builders and investors can learn from Yi He’s playbook

• Ecosystem first: Exchanges can be more than order books. Content, education, and community tools (like Binance Square) are catalysts for onboarding and retention. Reference: https://www.binance.com/en/blog/ecosystem/binance-feed-evolves-into-binance-square--the-next-gen-social-platform-for-web3-991796510313565491
• Back the stack: Strategic VC arms that invest in infrastructure, security, and developer tooling help reduce friction for the next wave of users and applications. Coverage: https://techcrunch.com/2022/06/02/binance-labs-500m-fund/
• Compliance as strategy: Regulation is a design constraint that can enhance resilience and unlock institutional participation. Context: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/binance-founder-changpeng-zhao-step-down-plead-guilty-us-money-laundering-charges-2023-11-21/ and https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/binance-chief-executive-officer-pleads-guilty-violations-us-anti-money-laundering-laws
• Representation drives outcomes: Diverse teams anticipate more risk scenarios, build for broader audiences, and make better products. See WEF’s perspective: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/03/women-in-crypto/

Closing thoughts

Yi He’s story is a reminder that crypto’s future will be decided not only by protocols and price cycles, but also by leaders who can bridge product, compliance, and community—while widening the tent for the next generation of talent. For users, the same ethos applies: empower yourself with knowledge, choose platforms and tools that prioritize transparent design, and adopt self‑custody for the holdings that matter most.