**Binance Co-CEO Yi He's WeChat Account Hacked Amid Growing Risks for Crypto Executives**
The hacking incident serves as a stark reminder of the security risks faced by cryptocurrency executives in the digital age.
According to a recent update, Binance co-CEO and co-founder Yi He revealed on social media platform X that her WeChat account was hijacked after an old mobile number was compromised. The attackers took control of her account, which has since been restored with the help of WeChat's security team.
The incident highlights how Web2 messaging platforms can be used to impersonate crypto executives, and underscores the growing risks faced by industry professionals in the digital age. "WeChat was abandoned long ago, and the phone number was seized for use," He explained on X. "It cannot be recovered at present."
A Binance spokesperson confirmed that the company worked closely with WeChat's security team to recover access to He's account. "The account has now been successfully restored," the spokesperson said.
Blockchain analytics firm Lookonchain reported that after the hack, the attackers promoted a token called Mubarakah, causing the price to pump and netting $55,000 in profits.
The attack comes just days after He's appointment as co-CEO of Binance, following a "natural progression" announcement by CEO Richard Teng at Binance Blockchain Week in Dubai. This incident follows a similar WeChat compromise in November, which involved Tron founder Justin Sun.
SlowMist founder Yu Xuan weighed in on the matter, re-publishing a breakdown of how WeChat account takeovers may occur and warning that the barrier to attacks can be surprisingly low. According to his test, an attacker who has access to leaked login credentials can seize control of an account by contacting two "frequent contacts," including people who were never directly messaged but added as friends or interacted with briefly in a shared group.
In China, carriers typically reissue mobile numbers to the market three months after users cancel their accounts. This system creates openings for credential stuffing, SIM-linked recovery abuse, and targeted social engineering. Xuan urged high-profile figures handling over-the-counter (OTC) traders or wallet-related discussions to avoid adding unknown contacts casually and recommended rotating passwords and responding quickly to login alerts.
Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao also warned that he would not promote any memecoin contract addresses on his WeChat account, giving users a quick reminder to stay safe amid growing threats. The incident comes only months after BNB Chain's official X account was compromised in October.