Binance co-founders Changpeng Zhao and Yi He used the Simpsons characters Homer and Marge as aliases in company meetings and internal communications, according to individuals familiar with the situation. The pair met at OKCoin in 2014, where He recruited Zhao as chief technical officer, and later founded Binance in 2017; they have also been reported to be in a romantic relationship. Yi continues to use the Marge alias while serving as co‑CEO with Richard Teng, and Zhao stepped down as CEO in November 2023 after the U.S. Department of Justice alleged Bank Secrecy Act violations, pleaded guilty, received a four‑month prison sentence in April 2024, and was pardoned by President Donald Trump in October 2025. Zhao is listed by Forbes as the richest Canadian and the 17th‑richest person worldwide, with an estimated net worth of $111.1 billion as of April 2026, and He previously served as chief marketing officer before assuming leadership of YZi Labs, a venture firm linked to Zhao that invests in Web3, artificial intelligence and biotechnology. The practice highlights the personal dynamics within Binance’s leadership as the exchange continues to navigate regulatory scrutiny.