Binance has promoted co-founder Yi He to Co-CEO, becoming a member of Richard Teng in shared management as the corporate faces a $1 billion terrorism financing lawsuit and the aftermath of founder Changpeng Zhao’s felony conviction.
This management change is a vital second for the world’s largest cryptocurrency trade as it really works to restore its popularity following years of regulatory scrutiny.
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Twin Management Construction and Focus
Binance introduced Yi He’s appointment as Co-CEO. She joins Richard Teng, and collectively they’re tasked with strengthening the corporate’s regulatory requirements and constructing belief within the digital asset sector.
Binance is stressing world regulatory compliance and a dedication to transparency.
Teng will deal with authorized, regulatory, and administrative tasks, utilizing his expertise with regulated markets.
Yi He’ll focus on product growth, retail operations, and user-oriented initiatives, making certain easy operations and buyer satisfaction. She beforehand served as chief customer support officer at Binance.
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Whereas buyer expertise stays a robust focus, her affect has expanded its interactionfrom operational oversight to strategic management. She now helps form Binance’s total course, not simply the way it interacts with customers.
Yi He has publicly addressed her reference to CZ, stating her independence regardless of having youngsters collectively.
Authorized and Regulatory Hurdles After Trump Pardon
Binance’s government modifications include ongoing authorized challenges. The trade faces a $1 billion federal lawsuit from victims and households of the October 7, 2023 Hamas assault. The swimsuit, filed in North Dakota, lists Binance, CZ, and Gunagying “Heina” Chen as defendants.
Plaintiffs accuse Binance of facilitating funding to terrorist teams together with Hamas and Hezbollah. The lawsuit alleges weak compliance, off-chain transactions, and operation of questionable accounts in Venezuela and Brazil.
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The swimsuit adopted President Trump’s pardon of CZ in early 2025. Trump’s transfer overturned a four-month jail sentence CZ acquired after pleading responsible to insufficient anti-money laundering controls. The US Senate condemned the pardon in an October 2025 decision.
In response to CZ’s lawyer Teresa Goody Guillén, the pardon resulted from a proper evaluation by the Justice Division and the White Home. She referred to as CZ’s case a compliance matter, not felony fraud or cash laundering.
In a November 2023 settlement, Binance agreed to pay $4.3 billion, and CZ paid a $50 million effective. He resigned as CEO and accepted restrictions on his trade involvement. Goody rejected claims of improper Binance-Trump connections, citing clear blockchain data.
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Yi He’s Rise: From OKX to Binance’s Helm
Yi He entered the cryptocurrency area in 2013 at OKX, the place she labored in advertising and branding. Whereas at OKX, she recruited CZ in 2014. Later, in 2017, CZ introduced her into Binance as Chief Advertising Officer, a key second for the brand new trade.
As co-founder, Yi He has been essential in establishing Binance’s tradition and enhancing person expertise. Her methods fueled the enlargement into spot buying and selling, futures, and DeFi merchandise. Binance now claims over 300 million customers worldwide.
Yi He has strongly denied the terrorism financing accusations, highlighting that a lot criticism comes from conventional monetary sectors. She maintains the corporate’s compliance and pointed to US Treasury statements displaying crypto is never utilized by Hamas.
Nonetheless, the lawsuit offers examples allegedly linking Binance prospects to illicit transactions. Plaintiffs say inner Binance messaging reveals information of suspicious funds. The pending civil trial in North Dakota may set vital precedents for crypto trade legal responsibility.
