Yaspa has appointed Justin Fears as US Director, Enterprise Sales, expanding its commercial leadership in North America.
Based in Atlanta, Fears will lead sales efforts as Yaspa expands in the US market, focusing on gaming operators and payment services. He will work with the company's US and wider commercial teams to build partnerships and expand adoption of its products across North America.
The appointment comes as Yaspa increases its presence in the region. It recently opened an office in Atlanta as part of a broader expansion that has also included a new technology hub in Leeds and a USD $12 million investment round led by Discerning Capital.
Fears brings more than 18 years of experience in payments, fintech, software and anti-money laundering compliance in the gaming sector. He has held senior roles at Kinectify, First Data Corporation, Glory Global Solutions, DiTronics Financial Services, NEXGEN Technology and CASINOMONEY.
At Kinectify, he was involved in expanding artificial intelligence-based anti-money laundering and know-your-customer tools for the casino market. He is also a veteran of the United States Air Force.
Yaspa sells payment and identity products built around instant bank payments and account verification. Founded in 2017 by a former Worldpay Chief Technology Officer, the company operates in the UK, Europe and the US.
It has positioned itself where payment processing, fraud controls and customer verification overlap, particularly in regulated sectors. In the US, that strategy has focused on iGaming operators facing pressure to improve payment processes while meeting compliance requirements.
"We're delighted to welcome Justin to the team as we accelerate our footprint in the US market. His deep operational understanding of gaming-focused financial infrastructure, compliance technologies, and enterprise sales leadership makes him an incredible asset. Justin's appointment further strengthens our local team and underscores our commitment to helping North American operators lower costs, reduce fraud, and elevate the player experience through open banking," Chief Executive Officer James Neville said.
Fears said the opportunity in the US market was a key attraction of the role.
"I'm excited to join Yaspa at such an important stage in the company's growth journey. The combination of open banking, innovative payment solutions, and intelligent transaction data represents a significant opportunity within the US iGaming market, particularly as operators continue to prioritise player experience, fraud reduction, and payment efficiency. Yaspa has built an innovative platform uniquely positioned to support the evolving needs of regulated operators, and I look forward to helping expand the company's presence and strategic partnerships across the US," he said.
Over the past year, Yaspa has won a Real-Time Payments Innovation award at the Payments Awards and was included in CB Insights' Top 100 Fintechs ranking. Those milestones have coincided with its recent fundraising and expansion on both sides of the Atlantic.
Atlanta has become an increasingly active base for fintech groups seeking access to payments talent and connections to US merchants and financial institutions. For Yaspa, placing a senior sales executive there provides a local presence as it seeks to win more business from operators considering bank-based payments and verification tools.
Fears' background suggests Yaspa is targeting clients that need both payment products and compliance support, especially in sectors where fraud prevention and customer checks are closely tied to revenue and regulation. His experience in gaming-focused financial and compliance businesses aligns with the company's effort to deepen its reach in that market.