Women continue to make significant contributions to the world of cryptocurrency, with two prominent figures leading major exchanges. Gracy Chen, the CEO of Bitget, recently shared her journey in a blog post, highlighting how she went from receiving a scholarship to study applied mathematics in Singapore to becoming a television host for a finance and technology program in China. It was during this time that she learned about Bitcoin from her interviewees. Chen later co-founded two fintech and virtual reality startups while pursuing an MBA at MIT. In 2022, she joined Bitget and now oversees a team of over 1,500 employees.
Another notable woman in the crypto industry is Yi He, the co-founder of Binance. He, who was born in 1986 in a remote part of Sichuan Province, China, demonstrated a strong aptitude for learning from a young age. Despite limited opportunities, she excelled in her studies and developed excellent communication skills. After working as a TV host for a Chinese tourism program, He crossed paths with Star Xu, the founder of Okcoin, in 2013. Xu was looking for a well-known influencer to promote the Okcoin brand, and He fit the bill. She joined Okcoin as vice president and played a crucial role in its success. During this time, she also introduced her friend Changpeng “CZ” Zhao to the company as the chief technology officer. However, both He and CZ eventually left Okcoin due to conflicts with Xu.
In 2017, He and CZ joined forces to co-found Binance, a global cryptocurrency exchange. He recognized CZ’s expertise and character as the perfect fit for building an international exchange. Today, Binance is the largest crypto exchange globally, with a daily trading volume of $36.5 billion and total assets worth $134.6 billion. Although CZ is no longer involved in its operations, He and current CEO Richard Teng continue to lead the company and share their insights on the future of the crypto industry.
These women, along with many others, have made significant strides in the crypto industry, and their contributions are shaping the future of finance.