Yi He, co-CEO of Binance, has been named to Fortune's 2026 Most Powerful Women in Business list, ranking #64. She is the first crypto-native executive ever recognized on this list, placing her among leaders from finance, retail, and Fortune 500 tech companies. The recognition follows her formal promotion to co-CEO in December 2025. Yi He entered crypto in 2014 when she recruited Changpeng Zhao (CZ) to OKCoin, and together they co-founded Binance in 2017. As a self-made billionaire, she grew up in a rural Sichuan village without electricity and lost her father at age nine. She leads YZi Labs, a $10 billion investment fund, and enforces a user-first culture at Binance, requiring all new employees to handle customer support. Her recognition is seen as a milestone for the crypto industry.

Key facts

• Yi He ranked #64 on Fortune's 2026 Most Powerful Women in Business list.
• She is the first crypto-native executive to ever appear on the list.
• Yi He recruited CZ to crypto and co-founded Binance in 2017.
• She grew up in a rural village without electricity and became a billionaire.
• She leads YZi Labs, a $10 billion investment fund, and enforces user-first culture at Binance.

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