From the Newsroom to the C-Suite: Vugar Usi Zade’s Path from BeInCrypto to CEO of MEXC

The cryptocurrency industry is finally old enough to produce its own “alumni” success stories. On April 8, 2026, one of the most significant full-circle moments for the sector was finalized: Vugar Usi Zade, the former CMO of BeInCrypto, was named CEO of MEXC.

Usi Zade inherits a platform that has become an institutional juggernaut. MEXC currently serves 40 million users and processed a staggering $1.5 trillion in trading volume last year.

His appointment caps a compressed three-year arc that saw him transition from the newsroom to the executive suites of two “Top 5” global exchanges.

The “Media First” Methodology

Usi Zade’s time at BeInCrypto was defined by rapid global scaling. As CMO, he oversaw the brand’s expansion into 26 languages, reaching millions of readers each month. It was here that he hosted “Usi The Talk,” a podcast that explored the inner workings of Web3 entrepreneurship.

“My journey at BeInCrypto shaped how I see this industry at its core,” Usi Zade reflects. “It gave me a 360° view, from institutions to retail, from Layer 1 ecosystems to exchanges. More importantly, it taught me how narratives are built, challenged, and ultimately trusted.”

This period provided an unconventional but effective education in global operations.

Managing a 150-person specialized newsroom across dozens of regulatory jurisdictions forced a deep understanding of market sentiment and localized compliance, skills that have proven directly transferable to running a high-frequency trading platform.

The Road to MEXC: Bitget and Beyond

In early 2024, Usi Zade transitioned to Bitget as Chief Operating Officer. During his tenure, Bitget climbed into the global Top 5, recording a 45.5% year-over-year growth in trading volume by 2025.

Joining MEXC as COO in late 2025, Usi Zade was part of a leadership team that oversaw a 90.9% year-over-year surge in growth, outperforming nearly every other major exchange in the industry.

Central to this momentum was MEXC’s structural decision to adopt a zero-fee model, which has effectively returned more than $1 billion to its user base over the past 12 months.

“Being part of a truly independent media company that scaled globally while staying profitable was a rare experience,” says Usi Zade. “It showed me that media does not just observe the industry. It actively shapes it.”

Zero Fees and Infinite Opportunities? 

As CEO, Usi Zade’s mandate is arguably the largest of his career. MEXC is currently pivoting toward a “trade-everything” model, integrating MT5-based assets and prediction markets alongside its core crypto offerings.

For the Harvard-educated executive, the challenge is now one of legitimacy and longevity. The “dark horse” of the exchange world is no longer an underdog; with a 7.8% global market share, MEXC is now a primary pillar of the 2026 financial ecosystem.

“One core belief I carry forward is this: Transparency is built on objectivity, on weighing things fairly, and on reacting in time. That is what media taught me. That is what builds trust,” Usi Zade explains. “As MEXC enters its upgraded brand chapter, I am once again putting on my CMO hat as I start this new chapter. Those same principles will define how I lead as CEO.”

The ascent of Vugar suggests that the skills required for crypto journalism, rapid synthesis of complex data, reading community sentiment, and transparency, are becoming the gold standard for C-suite leadership.

At BeInCrypto, we are proud to see our alumni not just participating in the market but actively defining its next decade.