Circle Internet Group, the US financial technology company behind the USDC dollar-backed stablecoin, has appointed Ghanaian fintech executive Gillian Darko as Vice President and Head of Africa, as it steps up efforts to expand its digital dollar business across the continent.
Darko joins Circle from Yellow Card, the pan-African digital asset infrastructure company, where she most recently served as Group Vice President of Strategy. She announced her move in a LinkedIn post, expressing optimism about the future of stablecoins and digital finance in Africa.
At Yellow Card, Darko led strategy, revenue development, commercial partnerships and market expansion, working with banks, telecommunications companies and international financial institutions across more than 20 markets.
She joined the company in 2024 as Chief of Staff and Director of Strategy before rising to Group Vice President of Strategy.
Her appointment gives Circle an executive with experience in Africa’s digital asset market as the company seeks to expand USDC adoption in cross-border payments, remittances and business transactions.
USDC is a dollar-backed stablecoin designed to maintain a one-to-one value with the US dollar. It enables businesses and individuals to transfer dollar-denominated value across blockchain networks, offering an alternative to conventional international payment and settlement systems.
Circle has been building partnerships with African financial technology companies to expand access to the stablecoin. In March 2026, the company partnered with Sasai Fintech, part of Cassava Technologies, to explore USDC applications across African payment networks.
The company has also pursued opportunities to integrate USDC into existing financial infrastructure, including through its investment in Nigerian payments company Flutterwave.
Africa presents opportunities for stablecoin providers seeking to address the cost and complexity of cross-border payments, foreign exchange access and international settlements. However, regulatory requirements across individual markets remain an important consideration for companies expanding their digital asset operations.
Darko’s transition from Yellow Card to Circle also highlights the growing movement of senior African fintech executives between companies building the infrastructure for digital dollar payments.
Circle, which trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker CRCL, is seeking to position USDC as a payment and settlement instrument across global financial markets, with Africa becoming an increasingly important part of that strategy.