Key takeaways
Binance developers work across the globe. Like real surgeons and therapists, they ensure the health of the heart which is so important as our trading engine.
Learn about the unique challenges and culture our developers face within the blockchain industry and at Binance, as well as the most interesting aspects of their work and why they decided to join us.
Imagine a plane flying at high altitude, crossing the world with millions of passengers on board to various destinations. Its engine works tirelessly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: it constitutes the heart of the plane.
At the heart of Binance's global crypto ecosystem is its trade matching engine, which provides crypto services to over 150 million users, executes 1.4 million orders per second, and has matched a daily trading volume worth a hundred billion dollars during market peaks. The Binance app gives you access to more than 20 varied features that complement the trading services: payment options, content, Earn, etc. In short, it's a real super app.
Like real surgeons and therapists, Binance developers who work in the four corners of the planet ensure the health of the heart that is so important as our trading engine. They are also the people who are closest to it. Just as an airplane engine must be light, efficient and as reliable as possible, the daily tasks of developers are to diagnose, maintain and manage all aspects of this "engine", troubleshoot the problem and ensure the smooth operation of the engine. device.
In developer lingo, this involves skillfully handling a range of unexpected issues, such as bugs, compatibility or scaling issues, and performance optimizations.
Whatever the complexity of the task, in reality it is a race against time which is similar to the challenges faced by surgeons. In a sector where the time factor is extremely important for users and where trades are played down to the second, it is crucial, but also difficult, to correctly manage the capacity of the system and ensure its stability, especially when the market is very volatile. Sometimes operating this giant trading machine in real time as the market fluctuates is like maintaining and repairing a plane at high altitude.
Direct user feedback and complaints when problems arise add to the professional pressure on the shoulders of Binance developers.
Some developers are therefore on call day and night, forcing them to carry their laptop with them everywhere, even when they go out shopping, are on a trek, deep sea fishing or go to the cinema. Almost every Binance employee has had to work in an airport or restaurant, and these practices are part of the daily life of many engineers. Just like surgeons, they must always be ready to answer a call and rush to the operating table.
Binance’s unique approach to remote working presents another significant challenge for our developers. We have been a fully remote organization since our inception, which is very rare for a company of this scale with thousands of employees. The Binance team spans six continents and over 100 countries, encompassing almost every time zone in the world.
Every advantage comes with its disadvantages; Thus, freedom and flexibility come with some difficulties, for example, inconvenient meeting times due to time difference, colleagues from diverse cultural backgrounds who speak different languages, and the added cost of communications between teams.
Jaden, a big data developer living in Dubai, recalls the time he turned in his office chair to ask a colleague to take a quick glance at his screen and check that his code had no errors, and he realized he was alone in the room. “My colleagues are always willing to lend a hand, but it's a little weird to schedule a meeting just to quickly check something and get an update,” says Jaden, perplexed.
The challenges that come with intercontinental communications seem to prove the widespread belief that many developers are introverts.
However, there are behind-the-scenes efforts, which are most visible on the online learning platform Udemy. Binance creates learning accounts on Udemy for its employees, and the development team was one of the first to take advantage of them. Today she is one of the most active there. This phenomenon may be linked to the proportion of Binance employees: in fact, the technical team is the second largest department in the company, just after customer service. Interestingly, the course on communication between services and individuals has long been the most popular among Binance developers, surpassing courses on Java, Python, JavaScript and other topics.
Some developers see cultural diversity as an opportunity to grow, which helps them broaden their worldview and create products and solutions suitable for users around the world.
Binance developers generally have exceptional experience and skills, have worked in the largest Internet companies or have mastered all the ins and outs of the cryptocurrency industry.
What attracts these brilliant minds to join Binance and what keeps them there, despite the immense pressure of an eternal race against time, remote communications across cultures and services , and the complex and constantly evolving external regulatory and commercial situation?
“No other organization with thousands of employees offers this freedom,” says Shawn, one of the backend engineers responsible for Binance's KYC (Know Your Customer) tool, which emphasizes freedom and privacy. unique flexibility of Binance.
Shawn explains that freedom doesn't just mean hours or where you work, but also invites you to come up with ideas, push your own professional boundaries, and learn from both successes and failures. Shawn's experience exemplifies this freedom perfectly: he and his team brought a new product idea to life in just one month and five days, an innovation that changed the lives of tens of millions of users.
“Binance encourages its employees to be creative, and strives to convey a sense of purpose,” adds Shawn.
Unlike other companies of similar size, Binance adopts a positive attitude often found in young companies. Here, there are no strict boundaries between what is and is not everyone's individual responsibility, and Binance's flat organizational structure gives value to everyone's opinions, regardless of their position. For example, developers are encouraged to take ownership and consider ideas from multiple perspectives and at all levels, including the product team, the marketing team, and, of course, the users.
YZ, who lives in Singapore and develops mid-tier data services, agrees on this point. Initially deployed for Spot trading, its data management platforms have grown to support over 20 business scenarios following the proactive collection of new business unit requirements. “Usually we don't get immediate feedback because our products are not targeted at retail users and to be completely honest, working with data is sometimes tedious. However, knowing that our efforts have created a cutting-edge product that is useful to tens of millions of users delights and motivates us,” reveals YZ.
In addition to freedom and a sense of accomplishment, Binance guarantees competitive salaries and bonuses to attract the most talented developers in the world, in line with the practices of the largest international Internet companies. Dedication is recognized and rewarded at Binance, as recalled by Daniel, a junior developer responsible for the stability of the system who lives in Denmark. “At Binance, we are rewarded materially and spiritually for hard work, and we know it. »
Aside from the freedom and sense of accomplishment, one of the best things about working as a developer is the opportunity to collaborate with some of the brightest minds in the blockchain space.
“Previously, I was only able to work with the brightest people in my city; At Binance, I am surrounded by the most talented people in the technology sector internationally. » Mindy, a payment product developer who lives in France, describes her daily life: “I can ask anyone for advice, and this open atmosphere favoring interactions allows us to find good ideas that help us to continually learn. »
Zen, a backend engineer on the infrastructure team, admits that the demanding pace, job pressure and long hours in meetings take their toll, but that doesn't stop him from loving his job. “The satisfaction of solving user problems brings a sense of accomplishment and a lingering adrenaline rush that can’t be found anywhere else. »
“It’s not easy to maintain a plane in flight, but we build the best plane there is,” he boasts.
