In a revelation often overlooked, two prominent women stand at the helm of two of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchanges. Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget, shared her journey in a recent blog post, shedding light on her leadership of an exchange boasting a $4 billion trading volume.
Raised by a single mother, Chen defied traditional expectations, fueled by a passion for mathematics and technology. Her journey began with a scholarship to study applied mathematics in Singapore, followed by a stint as a TV host where she first encountered Bitcoin in 2015, igniting her fascination with its decentralized nature.
Determined to delve deeper, Chen transitioned from television to entrepreneurship, co-founding fintech and virtual reality startups while pursuing an MBA at MIT. Her trajectory led her to Bitget in 2022, where she now oversees a team of over 1,500 employees.
Similarly, He, born into a family of teachers in rural China, embarked on a path marked by resilience and adaptability. From humble beginnings, she emerged as a prominent figure in Chinese media, ultimately crossing paths with Xu Xing, founder of Okcoin (now OKX), in 2013.
Under He's leadership, Okcoin flourished, cementing its position as a leading exchange in mainland China. It was during this tenure that He introduced her future spouse, Changpeng Zhao (CZ), to Okcoin. This encounter laid the groundwork for CZ's later venture, Binance, which He co-founded with him in 2017.
Today, Binance stands as the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, a testament to He's and CZ's vision for global impact in the crypto industry. Though CZ has since stepped back from operational roles, his and current CEO Richard Teng's stewardship continues to shape Binance's trajectory in the ever-evolving crypto landscape.
