The world of crypto and decentralized technologies is no longer an internet niche, home to a few pioneers on the frontier of fintech. It is now a blossoming sector for people of all backgrounds, interests — and genders.
Women have been entering the space in droves to find financial freedom from traditional systems and help create the future of digital interactions.
In an exclusive interview with Cointelegraph, Binance co-founder and chief marketing officer He Yi touched on what it’s like to be a woman as the head of one of the crypto industry’s biggest organizations.
Prior to her conversation with Cointelegraph, Yi tweeted that in the crypto space, as we know it, only “5% of founders are female,” and she’s proud to be a part of that statistic.
Only 5% of crypto founders are female. I’m part of the statistic — and I’m proud.
We’re paving a path for other women to stand bold in the blockchain space. And we’re just getting started. #BuildTogether #InternationalWomensDay pic.twitter.com/T8MwZ2sqvP
— Yi He (@heyibinance) March 6, 2023
Like many in the crypto space, Yi came from a field outside of financial technology. She recalled her roots in television broadcasting and further explained how her family had expectations of her to become a teacher.
However, she said once she discovered Bitcoin (BTC) and the possibilities of decentralized finance, her life took a different turn.
To women who want to enter the industry, but feel a sense of hesitancy due to a lack of familiarity with the space and its jargon or are afraid of a gender bias, Yi said:
“Never set a limit on yourself.”
As an executive at one of crypto’s leading institutions, Yi said there are three key components women should focus on for success in the industry: mindset, growth management and decision-making.
Particularly mindset, Yi said to be assertive and achieve the goals you set out for yourself and your team: “Take ownership and be a problem solver.”
“Forget your gender. Don’t focus on the fact that you’re a woman in a man’s world. Instead, focus on how to be a good business leader, regardless of being a man or woman.”
Yi said that now at Binance, one of the crypto space’s largest entities, nearly 30% of senior leaders are women, and directly report to the company’s CEO, Changpeng “CZ” Zhao. One of the main ways to do this is through education.
Related: 15 influential women entrepreneurs in Web3
During the interview, an employee working with Yi at Binance said that Yi has personally trained many employees, herself included.
Yi closed the interview by saying the most important thing is something for men and women to both focus on as leaders — being a leader who “understands the world and cares about the community being built.”
Binance Charity has recently announced its initiative to provide over 30,000 Web3 scholarships over the next year, some of which specifically focus on women-centered organizations in developing countries.
