Kast Appoints Former SEC Official Stephanie Allen

Kast has appointed Stephanie Allen as head of corporate and policy communications as the stablecoin payments firm expands its licensing and policy operations following an $80 million funding round. Allen will report to senior leadership and lead policy and communications work as Kast prepares to launch Kast Business and expand across North America, Latin America and the Middle East.

Allen previously served as acting director of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of Public Affairs and held senior media relations and speechwriting roles at the agency. Kast noted she advised the SEC’s Crypto Task Force; that advisory role does not appear in Allen’s public SEC biography. In her new position, Allen will coordinate with Kast’s corporate affairs and legal teams while the company pursues licensing and regulatory clarity in multiple jurisdictions.

Kast described the hire as part of its next phase of growth and increased regulatory engagement tied to the rollout of business accounts, cross-border payments and services with higher compliance requirements.

Brad Jaffe, Kast’s chief corporate affairs officer, welcomed Allen, stating, “Her knowledge of the policy and regulatory landscape stemming from her leadership position at the SEC and deep U.S. public and private sector experience will help drive Kast’s momentum.”

Kast issues payment cards and U.S. dollar-denominated accounts to users in more than 150 countries. The company has said it will add savings and remittance products through a neobank-style interface. Kast raised $80 million last month to expand its payment infrastructure and was valued at about $600 million after the round. The company has emphasized moving into business-focused products and into markets that carry more regulatory and compliance requirements.

The stablecoin market has shown mixed short- and long-term signals. Over a recent 30-day period, stablecoin transfer volume fell by about 19% to roughly $8.3 trillion while stablecoin market capitalization rose about 2% to near $305 billion. Longer-term onchain activity remained strong: Ethereum-based stablecoin transfer values over the past 12 months exceeded $18 trillion, and a separate data set recorded a monthly transfer record of $1.8 trillion in February.

Kast’s hire follows a broader pattern of stablecoin firms adding regulatory and public affairs experts as they scale services that resemble regulated financial products and seek licenses across multiple jurisdictions. Allen’s role will intersect with those licensing efforts and Kast’s push to expand business and cross-border payment offerings in markets with strict compliance requirements.