Circle Taps Former Yellow Card Executive Gillian Darko to Lead Its Ambitious Africa Expansion

Circle Internet Group, the New York Stock Exchange-listed company behind the USDC dollar-backed stablecoin, has appointed former Yellow Card executive Gillian Darko as Vice President and Head of Africa.

Darko announced her appointment in a LinkedIn post on Monday, expressing enthusiasm about joining the company and expanding the use of stablecoins across the continent.

“I’m more than thrilled to announce that I’ve joined Circle as Vice President, Head of Africa,” she wrote. “I love this ecosystem. I love stablecoins. And I am bullish about the future of digital finance on this continent.”

Her appointment comes as Circle seeks to increase the use of USDC for international payments, remittances and business transactions in emerging markets.

Darko Previously Held Senior Strategy Role at Yellow Card

Before joining Circle, Darko served as Group Vice President of Strategy at Yellow Card, where she worked on commercial expansion, revenue planning and strategic partnerships.

She joined the stablecoin infrastructure company in 2024 as Chief of Staff and Director of Strategy before progressing through its leadership structure. Her responsibilities included developing relationships with banks, telecommunications operators and international financial institutions.

Darko left Yellow Card in October 2026 before taking up her new position at Circle.

Her professional experience also includes roles at JPMorgan Asset Management, consulting firm PwC and African fintech company JUMO.

She has held board and governance responsibilities in several African countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia.

Circle Expands Presence as African Stablecoin Market Grows

Circle’s appointment of a regional executive comes as demand for dollar-backed stablecoins increases across African markets.

Data from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis shows that stablecoin transfers through peer-to-peer channels in Sub-Saharan Africa increased more than sixfold between 2022 and 2026, reaching $14.6 billion.

Stablecoins are increasingly used for international transfers and business settlements, particularly in markets where currency volatility, fragmented payment systems and limited access to foreign currency affect cross-border transactions.

Regulatory Changes Could Affect Foreign Stablecoin Issuers

Circle’s expansion is taking place as regulators in several African countries introduce tighter requirements for foreign digital asset providers.

Nigeria’s proposed rules would require foreign stablecoin issuers to obtain regulatory recognition. Kenya’s framework also gives the Central Bank authority to suspend or delist foreign-issued stablecoins that fail to meet regulatory requirements.

These measures could affect access to dollar-denominated digital assets for merchants and businesses that use stablecoins for international trade and payments.

Darko’s responsibilities will include expanding USDC’s presence across African payment networks while working within the regulatory requirements of individual markets.

Circle Builds Partnerships With African Payment Companies

Circle has been increasing its partnerships with African financial technology companies as it seeks to broaden access to USDC.

In March, the company partnered with Sasai Fintech, a subsidiary of Cassava Technologies, the pan-African technology group owned by Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa.

The agreement was aimed at expanding access to USDC through payment networks across the continent.

Circle’s venture arm also invested in Nigerian payments company Flutterwave in July. The investment was intended to support the integration of USDC settlement into Flutterwave’s payment infrastructure, enabling merchants to receive payments locally and settle transactions in digital dollars.

USDC Circulation and Transaction Volumes Increase

Circle reported that USDC in circulation reached $73.3 billion at the end of the second quarter of 2026, representing a 19% increase compared with the same period a year earlier.

The company’s quarterly on-chain transaction volume also rose by 151% to $14.8 trillion.

Circle, which trades on the NYSE under the ticker symbol CRCL, is seeking to expand the stablecoin’s use in payments and financial transactions across emerging economies.

Darko to Lead Regional Engagement and USDC Expansion

Darko’s move from Yellow Card to Circle places her in a senior position within the competition to connect African financial institutions and payment providers with dollar-backed digital assets.

While Yellow Card provides infrastructure for accessing and transferring stablecoins, Circle issues USDC through its regulated affiliates.

Her role will focus on expanding the stablecoin’s reach across African payment networks while engaging with financial institutions and navigating regulatory requirements in the continent’s major markets.