榊原 健太

Kenta Sakakibara is Country Manager for Japan at Circle (NYSE: CRCL), where he leads the company’s business strategy and market development in Japan. He oversees partnerships and ecosystem expansion and led the enablement of USDC in Japan — the first stablecoin recognized under the country’s new regulatory framework. Prior to joining Circle, Kenta held leadership roles in partnerships and business development at Google Payments. He played a pivotal role in building strategic collaborations with Japan’s leading payment and fintech players, driving product partnerships and market strategy, and leading market launches in Australia and New Zealand. Kenta also spearheaded the acquisition and post-merger integration of a local fintech company, strengthening Google’s fintech footprint in Japan. Earlier in his career, Kenta served as Vice President at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and JRI America in New York, where he managed the bank’s global cash management platform across the Americas and led its market expansion into Brazil. Kenta holds a Master of Business Administration from INSEAD and a bachelor’s degree in Policy Studies from Nanzan University.