At the ongoing Binance Blockchain Week in Dubai, the world’s largest centralized crypto exchange has announced one of its most significant leadership shakeups since 2023.
CEO Richard Teng took the stage to reveal that Binance Co-Founder Yi He has been appointed Co-CEO. This is a leadership structure that insiders say has been years in the making.
In his keynote, Teng described Yi He as an “integral architect of Binance’s vision and culture”, emphasizing her foundational role since the company’s launch.
Binance was originally founded in 2017 by a small founding team led by Changpeng “CZ” Zhao and Yi He, along with a handful of early technical and product contributors. Among the core founding members, CZ and Yi He are recognized as the two primary co-founders.
Changpeng Zao “CZ,” widely recognized as the face of Binance, handled the technical and operational vision. And Yi He was pivotal in building the platform’s brand, marketing, and user engagement strategies.
Together, the pair transformed Binance from a small startup in China into a global exchange with nearly 300 million users worldwide.
Who is Yi He, Binance Co-CEO
Over the years, Yi He has remained an influential figure in Binance’s executive structure. Early in the company’s history, she led marketing and branding efforts. She position Binance as a user-centric platform with rapid global adoption.
Later, she became head of Binance Labs, the company’s venture and incubator arm. In this role, Yi was helping to identify and support promising blockchain projects.
However, in her most recent role before being appointed as co-CEO, Yi he was serving as Chief Customer Officer. She has been playing a crucial role in expanding its user base to nearly 300 million globally.
“Her innovative and user-focused approach has been instrumental in shaping the company’s bottom-up strategy,” Teng said on the appointment. He also added that the co-CEO model strengthens Binance’s long-term governance as it continues scaling in regulated markets while targeting 1 Billion users.
Today, I’m proud to share that our co-founder, @heyiBinance, has stepped into the role of Co-CEO.
Yi has been a core part of Binance since the very beginning. Her vision, instinct for users, and relentless commitment to innovation have shaped our culture and guided us through… pic.twitter.com/EF1gvKa7vs
— Richard Teng (@_RichardTeng) December 3, 2025
Yi He, in a statement shared with Block of Fame, said she was “honored” to take on the new role alongside Teng.
“Together, we bring diverse perspectives and are confident in leading the future of the industry at this pivotal time,” she noted. “We remain dedicated to building Web3 infrastructure responsibly, promoting financial freedom, and keeping our users at the center.”
Also Read: BNB’s New Growth Officer
Amid CZ Return Clamours
The co-CEO appointment comes at a moment of heightened interest in Binance’s leadership. Discussions have surfaced about whether CZ might return to the company following a U.S. presidential pardon he received last month.
CZ had stepped down from day-to-day leadership in 2023 amid regulatory scrutiny and legal proceedings in the United States. While there has been no official confirmation from Binance regarding his return, the speculation has fueled conversations about the future of the exchange’s governance and strategic direction.
The announcement comes at a moment when Binance is under heightened global attention for renewed speculation surrounding CZ’s potential return.
But with this leadership restructure, Binance appears poised to navigate the evolving crypto landscape. Yi He’s deep understanding of both the user experience and the broader blockchain ecosystem makes her a natural choice to co-lead the exchange alongside Teng.
As Binance approaches its next milestone of one billion users, the dual-CEO model will likely play a critical role in steering the company through new market challenges. Thi includes product innovations, and strategic partnerships in the rapidly evolving Web3 world.
Also Read: Is CZ Returning to Binance?
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