Forex
Practical writing on moving money across South Africa's borders: exchange control, spreads, settlement times and what an international payment really costs. Written by the team that runs these rails every day.
The Rand Is Weakening: How to Protect Your Money
If you've been watching the USD/ZAR rate for any length of time, you've noticed a pattern. The rand weakens. It recovers a little. Then it weakens again.
How to Convert USD to ZAR: Best Options in South Africa
Need to convert USD to ZAR in South Africa? Compare your options, understand the real cost, and find the best rate available to you. You've got dollars. You need rands.
How to Send Money Internationally from South Africa
How to Send Money Internationally from South Africa Sending money internationally from South Africa? Understand your options, the costs and the limits.
Fiat is broke
Sorry to break it to you, but fiat is broke. You don’t notice it because it nibbles away at your earnings a few percentage points at a time. Remember Covid?
Remittance is a huge (and expensive) business
Remittance is a Huge (and Expensive) Business If ever there was a market begging for disruption, it’s remittances.
South Africa’s Staggering Cost of Sending Remittances
Remittance Costs in South Africa and the Rise of Crypto Alternatives The chart below from the World Bank shows the costs of sending remittances from South Africa.
The rise and rise of the USD
What’s happening to the euro? The incoming Trump administration has rattled the euro, which is widely expected to reach parity with the USD in the coming months.
What’s up with gold?
Gold is surging, yes, but for reasons that are a little more troubling than may at first appear.
The rand as a global “powerhouse”
The chart below shows the rand losing just 3% against the USD in 2024, a shade behind the Indian rupee and Chinese yuan. The list is astonishing in many ways.
The rand at R100 to the USD
Take a look at the graph below and decide whether the ZAR is a safe bet. The graph maps the purchasing power of the rand since 1911 – 114 years ago.