Former SEC Official Stephanie Allen Joins Kast as Head of Corporate and Policy Communications

Stablecoin payments company Kast has hired former U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) communications official Stephanie Allen as head of corporate and policy communications, as the company builds out its licensing and policy operation following an $80 million funding round last month.

Kast said Thursday that Allen will work with senior leadership on policy and communications as the company prepares to launch Kast Business and expand further across North America, Latin America and the Middle East. The company said the hire is tied to its next phase of growth and regulatory engagement.

Allen previously served as acting director of the SEC's Office of Public Affairs and earlier held senior media relations and speechwriting roles at the agency. Kast said she also advised the SEC's Crypto Task Force, though that role does not appear in the SEC's public biography of Allen.

The hire reflects how stablecoin companies are adding policy and communications talent as they move closer to regulated financial services and try to expand across multiple jurisdictions. For Kast, the appointment comes as it pushes deeper into business accounts, cross-border payments and compliance-heavy growth markets.

"We're excited to welcome Stephanie to the Kast team," said KAST's chief corporate affairs officer, Brad Jaffe. "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."

The hire comes over a month after Kast raised $80 million to fund the expansion of its payment infrastructure platform, reaching a $600 million valuation. KAST stablecoin payment firm, homepage. Source: Kast.xyz

Kast offers payment cards and US dollar-denominated accounts to users in over 150 countries, with plans to launch savings and remittance products under its neobank interface. Related: Fireblocks launches tool for institutions to earn yield on stablecoins

Stablecoin momentum cools

Stablecoin transfer volume dropped 19% to $8.31 trillion over the past month, while stablecoin market capitalization rose 2.06% to $305.29 billion over the same period, Cointelegraph reported Tuesday, citing data from RWA.xyz. The data suggests that the growing value held in dollar-denominated stablecoins does not translate to growing onchain activity, as fewer dollars are being moved across blockchains despite the growing stablecoin supply.

30-day stablecoin net flows as of April 28, 2026. Source: RWA.xyz

Still, asset manager Fidelity's Q2 Signals Report showed that Ethereum's stablecoin transfer values had recently exceeded historical averages, with transfer value over the past 12 months surpassing $18 trillion. Fidelity said that the network activity signals that stablecoins are increasingly being used for payments, settlement and onchain access to US dollars, despite the broader crypto market sentiment.

Stablecoin transfer volume reached a record $1.8 trillion in February, according to data provider Allium.