Yaspa appoints US fintech and gaming veteran Justin Fears as US Sales Director

Yaspa, a leading fintech specialising in payments and identity solutions, today announced the appointment of Justin Fears as US Director, Enterprise Sales.

Fears joins the company during a period of rapid international expansion and will lead Yaspa’s strategic commercial growth across North America.

Based out of Yaspa’s Atlanta office, Fears will be responsible for supporting Yaspa’s expansion throughout North America, helping gaming operators modernise payment experiences through real-time bank payments, intelligent transaction solutions, and next-generation payment innovation. He will work closely with Yaspa’s recently bolstered US and global commercial leadership teams to scale strategic partnerships and market adoption.

Fears brings more than 18 years of specialised experience spanning payments, fintech, SaaS, and AML compliance specific to the gaming industry. Throughout his career, he has built a reputation for aligning emerging technologies with practical commercial outcomes. Prior to joining Yaspa, Fears held senior leadership positions at prominent industry organisations including Kinectify, First Data Corporation, Glory Global Solutions, DiTronics Financial Services, NEXGEN Technology, and CASINOMONEY. Notably, at Kinectify, he played a key role in expanding the adoption of AI-driven AML and KYC solutions purpose-built for the casino industry. Fears is also a veteran of the United States Air Force.

James Neville, CEO of Yaspa, said: “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.”

Fears said: “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.”

In the last 12 months, Yaspa was named winner of the Real-Time Payments Innovation award at the 2025 Payments Awards and one of the CB Insights Top 100 Fintechs, a global ranking that spotlights the most promising and innovative companies shaping the future of financial services.

This comes during a period of sustained growth for Yaspa in the past 18 months and closed a $12m investment round in July, led by Discerning Capital. This growth has culminated in the opening of its new Atlanta office in the US, as well as the opening of its tech hub in Leeds, UK, in August 2025.