Bobby Lee is a technology entrepreneur and cryptocurrency executive known for his early involvement in the digital asset industry. He is the founder and chief executive officer of Ballet and previously co-founded and led BTCC, one of the earliest bitcoin exchanges in China. ^[1]

Education

Lee attended Stanford University, where he earned his Bachelor’s in Computer Science in 1997 and his Master’s the following year. He later graduated from China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) with an MBA in 2013. ^[2]

Career

Lee began his career through software engineering and research internships at IBM, Microsoft, and Silicon Spice during the 1990s. In 1998, he joined Yahoo!, where he spent more than eight years and advanced to senior engineering manager, working on online community and social platform products, including Yahoo! Groups.

After leaving Yahoo!, Lee relocated to China and held a series of senior technology leadership positions. From 2007 to 2009, he served as Director of Software Engineering at EMC Corporation's China Center of Excellence. He then became Chief Technology Officer and Senior Vice President of BesTV New Media, a subsidiary of the Shanghai Media Group, before joining Walmart China eCommerce as Vice President of Technology. During this period, he also served as treasurer and board member of the Stanford Club of Shanghai from 2011 to 2014.

In 2013, Lee co-founded BTCC, originally established as BTCChina, and served as its chief executive officer until 2018. Under his leadership, the company expanded its activities across cryptocurrency exchange services, mining, wallets, payment processing, and other blockchain-related products. Since 2014, he has served on the board of directors of the Bitcoin Foundation. In 2019, he founded Ballet and has served as its chief executive officer, focusing on cryptocurrency storage and self-custody solutions. ^{[3] [4]}

Interviews

Bitcoin Break

On Insights with Haslinda Amin in February 2026, Lee discussed the high volatility of Bitcoin, attributing it largely to trading activities in spot exchanges, derivatives, futures, and options markets, especially as the bull market appeared to be over. He predicted that Bitcoin could break below the key 50,000 or 20,000–$25,000 range before bottoming out. He recommended buying Bitcoin gradually during dips and noted that market sentiment often shifts only when Bitcoin is considered "dead" by many, which could mark the lowest point for a rebound. Ultimately, Lee remained bullish on Bitcoin's long-term prospects, viewing current downturns as opportunities to accumulate at lower prices and emphasizing the importance of patience amidst market cycles. ^[7]

Bitcoin Regulations

On the CryptoNews Spotlight podcast in July 2024, Lee shared his extensive journey in the crypto space, from his early involvement in Bitcoin mining in 2011 to founding China's first Bitcoin exchange, BTC China, which was later acquired. He discussed his passion for Bitcoin's similarity to gold—its scarcity and decentralization—and emphasized its potential as a global reserve asset. Lee highlighted the evolution of cold storage solutions, including his company's innovative physical Bitcoin storage cards designed to be simple, reliable, and self-contained, safeguarding private keys without electronic components. He expressed optimism about the rapid growth of Bitcoin ETFs, noting their significant impact on mainstream adoption and institutional inflows, especially in the U.S., which he predicted would propel Bitcoin's valuation upward. Lee also commented on the contrasting regulatory environments in the U.S. and China, favoring the US's competitive, innovation-driven approach over China's centralized policies. Throughout, he underscored the importance of self-custody, proper storage, and strategic investing, urging individuals to consider Bitcoin as a vital asset class for wealth preservation. He shared upcoming Ballet product launches, including smaller-denomination Bitcoin cards available at the Nashville conference, and thanked his team and supporters, closing with a strong endorsement of Bitcoin's transformative potential. ^[6]

Ballet

In an interview on the SatPulse podcast in September 2023, Lee emphasized the importance of self-custody in cryptocurrency, highlighting how the industry had shifted toward reliance on custodial platforms, which he believed compromised the core principle of ownership, similar to precious metals like gold and silver. He shared Ballet Crypto's mission to empower individuals to own and securely store their cryptocurrencies through innovative products such as their Cold Storage card, which uses industry-standard two-factor entropy to generate private keys offline, ensuring security against hacks and theft. Lee detailed his extensive background in crypto, including his leadership roles and dedication to maintaining a trustworthy reputation, which underpinned his commitment to creating reliable, long-lasting hardware solutions. He also discussed how Ballet’s products support multiple cryptocurrencies using open standards, allowing for independence from company reliance, and highlighted their resistance to technological obsolescence and EMP threats. Throughout the conversation, he expressed optimism regarding Bitcoin’s future, emphasizing the upcoming supply shock from halving events and the increasing institutional interest, which together suggested a potentially bullish outlook for Bitcoin’s price. ^[9]

Presentations

Ownership & Custody

At the Bitcoin Conference in August 2024, Lee opened by highlighting the significance of Bitcoin over the past 15 years, asserting that it has enabled humanity to achieve true ownership and custody of financial assets, unlike traditional fiat money, which is controlled by banks and institutions. He explained that modern money is tied to identity and can be subject to restrictions, such as withdrawal limits and confiscation risks, emphasizing the vulnerabilities of holding cash or storing Bitcoin on exchanges, which can be hacked or lost control of. Lee stressed the importance of self-custody for Bitcoin, advocating for simple, physical storage solutions like his company's Ballet card, which offers a durable, easy-to-use, non-electronic way to hold Bitcoin without seed phrases or complex setup. He shared personal anecdotes, including a story about an elderly woman who lost access to her Bitcoin stored on an exchange, illustrating the dangers of centralized custody. Lee concluded by encouraging attendees to prioritize safe, self-managed custody methods and invited them to visit his booth for physical Bitcoin products and signed copies of his book, emphasizing that true ownership requires simplicity, security, and control. ^[10]