Stella Chan is the Chief Operating Officer of Phemex, a global cryptocurrency derivatives exchange founded in 2019 with a presence in markets such as Turkey and Singapore.
She climbed from a marketing role to the executive team in a few short years and now oversees the exchange’s corporate strategy and day-to-day operations.
Chan is also the co-founder of Pulse, Phemex’s social trading platform, and a vocal advocate for Web3 and giving users more control over their own funds.
Her fast rise has made her one of the most recognised women in crypto, profiled by outlets such as CoinDesk and Cointelegraph.
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Key Takeaways
- Stella Chan is the Chief Operating Officer of Phemex, a crypto derivatives exchange founded in 2019.
- She joined Phemex in marketing and was promoted to Chief Marketing Officer and then Chief Operating Officer within a few years.
- Chan co-founded Pulse, Phemex’s SocialFi social trading platform, and helped lead Phemexia, the company’s Web3 ecosystem.
- International Business Times named her one of eight “Crypto Queens,” alongside Lightning Labs’ Elizabeth Stark and ARK Invest’s Cathie Wood.
- She is known as a Web3 advocate focused on user-controlled finance and decentralisation.
Background and Early Career
Public information about Stella Chan’s early life is limited. What is clear is that she worked with global teams across different parts of the world from early in her career, long before joining Phemex.
She has said she followed crypto closely because she found its mission of decentralisation compelling, an interest that eventually drew her into the industry.
That international background later shaped how she built Phemex’s brand across emerging markets.
Her Role at Phemex
Stella Chan’s career is defined by her rapid rise through Phemex and her work shaping the company’s Web3 strategy.
From Marketing to Chief Operating Officer
Chan joined Phemex as marketing director for global and emerging markets. Within roughly three months she was made regional manager for Russia, her first operational management role, and was soon promoted to Chief Marketing Officer.
About a year and a half later she was named Chief Operating Officer, taking on the exchange’s corporate budget and responsibility for a team of around a hundred people.
Professional Contributions and Leadership
Beyond running operations, Chan has led several of Phemex’s signature initiatives:
- Pulse: She co-founded Pulse, Phemex’s social trading platform, which rewards users for engagement and works to build community within the exchange.
- Phemexia: She championed Phemexia, Phemex’s Web3 ecosystem, including the Phemex Soul Pass and Soulbound Token features inspired by Vitalik Buterin’s concept of non-transferable tokens.
- Lending Protocol: She helped launch the Phemex Lending Protocol in 2024, which lets users borrow crypto against collateral while earning interest on supplied assets.
Together, these projects reflect her focus on blending the reliability of centralised execution with on-chain, community-driven features.
Recognitions and Media Highlights
- Stella Chan has been featured in CoinDesk’s Thought Leadership series, including a November 30, 2023 interview about Phemex’s Web3 vision, Phemexia.
- She has been an invited speaker and panelist at major industry events, including Token2049 and the TEAMZ Web3/AI Summit.
- She has also appeared in editorial lists profiling leading women in crypto, including International Business Times’ “Crypto Queens.”
Stella Chan at Phemex
Source: U Today
At Phemex, Chan oversees the strategic development of the company’s Web3 projects alongside the daily operations of its business teams.
She has said she finds particular satisfaction in mentoring and developing other managers and executives within the company.
Under her leadership, Phemex has pushed a hybrid model that pairs the autonomy of on-chain tools with the reliability of centralised execution.
She has represented Phemex at global events and in interviews with major crypto media outlets.
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Why Stella Chan Stands Out
Chan’s rise stands out in an industry where women remain a minority in senior leadership.
She is frequently described as one of the fastest-growing female executives in crypto.
Her public profile has helped raise Phemex’s visibility on a global stage.
She continues to argue that crypto’s core value is giving people more control over their own money.
Stella Chan in the Public Eye
Stella Chan is an active public voice in the crypto industry, regularly speaking at conferences and giving interviews.
Through keynotes, panels, and media interviews, she has explained Phemex’s strategy and made the broader case for Web3 finance.
That visibility has reinforced her standing as a prominent figure in the cryptocurrency exchange sector.
Conclusion
Stella Chan’s career shows how quickly talent can rise in the fast-moving world of crypto.
From a marketing hire to Chief Operating Officer, she has helped shape Phemex’s direction and its push into Web3.
She remains one of the most recognised female executives in crypto and a consistent advocate for giving users more control over their finances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Stella Chan?
Stella Chan is the Chief Operating Officer of Phemex, a global cryptocurrency derivatives exchange, and the co-founder of its Pulse social trading platform.
What is Pulse?
Pulse is Phemex’s SocialFi social trading platform, co-founded by Stella Chan, which rewards users for engagement and aims to build community around the exchange.
How did Stella Chan become COO of Phemex?
She joined Phemex in marketing, served as regional manager for Russia, was promoted to Chief Marketing Officer, and then to Chief Operating Officer, all within a few years.
What is Stella Chan known for?
She is known as one of crypto’s fastest-rising female executives, named among International Business Times’ “Crypto Queens,” and as a vocal advocate for Web3 and user-controlled finance.
