Did you know that two of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world are led by women? In a recent blog post, Gracy Chen, the CEO of Bitget, shared her journey of being at the helm of an exchange that facilitates $4 billion in trading volume. Chen’s path to success began when she received a scholarship at 18 to study applied mathematics in Singapore. After graduation, she became a television host for a Chinese finance and technology program, where she first learned about Bitcoin from her interviewees in 2015 when it was priced at $300. Inspired by this newfound knowledge, Chen left her TV work and co-founded two fintech and virtual reality startups while also enrolling in an MBA program at MIT. Despite some failures along the way, Chen eventually joined Bitget as the CEO in spring 2022 and now manages a team of over 1,500 employees.
Another remarkable woman in the crypto industry is Yi He, the co-founder of Binance. Born in 1986 into a family of teachers in a remote area of Sichuan Province, China, He demonstrated a passion for learning at a young age. She excelled in her studies, consistently ranking first in her school exams, and spent her spare time reading. After completing her education in psychology, He realized there were limited opportunities in the field and decided to pursue a career in television. Her breakthrough came in 2012 when she auditioned for a Chinese tourism TV program and secured a role as a host. During her travels as a TV host, she crossed paths with Star Xu, the founder of Okcoin (now OKX), who was looking for a well-known influencer to promote the brand. He’s interest in the crypto space, combined with her experience as a TV host, led her to accept the offer to become the vice president of Okcoin.
Under He’s leadership, Okcoin became a leading exchange in mainland China. It was during this time that she introduced her friend Changpeng “CZ” Zhao to the role of chief technology officer at Okcoin. However, CZ’s relationship with Xu became strained, and he eventually resigned from the company in 2015. He also decided to leave Okcoin that year, as she did not want to be caught in the middle of their conflict. After taking a hiatus from the tech industry, He developed ambitions to operate a business with global influence. Around the same time, CZ shared his white paper outlining his vision for a global crypto exchange, Binance. Recognizing CZ’s expertise and character, He joined forces with him to co-found Binance in June 2017.
Today, Binance is the largest crypto exchange in the world, with a daily trading volume of $36.5 billion and total assets worth $134.6 billion. Although CZ is no longer involved in the decision-making or operations of Binance, He and the current CEO, Richard Teng, have taken charge and frequently share their insights on the future of the crypto industry. These women have made significant contributions to the world of cryptocurrency and continue to shape its future.