🇺🇸 USD → ZAR 🇿🇦
US Dollar to South African Rand
The US Dollar to South African Rand rate is the most-watched pair in South African FX. It anchors expat remittances, dollar-denominated invoices, US share purchases, and the offshore portion of personal annual allowances.
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Convert a custom amount
The table above shows common amounts. For an arbitrary figure, use the Currency Converter — it supports USD, ZAR, and 8 other currencies.
About USD/ZAR
USD/ZAR sees the highest trading volume of any rand pair on the JSE and the OTC market — a 1% move in USD/ZAR ripples into petrol prices, imported electronics, and JSE-listed dual-listed shares like BHP and Anglo American. The rand is one of the most-traded emerging-market currencies globally, so liquidity is deep and spreads at retail money-changers are usually 1–3% on top of the mid-market figure shown here.
Where the data comes from
Rates are the European Central Bank reference rates, fetched via the Frankfurter API and refreshed once per business day at 16:00 CET. The figure shown is the mid-market rate — the wholesale price banks quote each other. Retail customers pay a 1–4% markup on top of this figure at banks and money-transfer services.
Frequently asked questions
What is the US Dollar to South African Rand exchange rate today?
The live USD/ZAR mid-market rate is shown at the top of this page, sourced from the European Central Bank via Frankfurter and refreshed every business day at 16:00 CET. Your bank or money-transfer service will add a 1–4% retail spread on top of this figure.
What is the cheapest way to convert USD to ZAR?
Compare the mid-market rate on this page against quotes from Wise, Shyft, PayFast, and your bank. A markup of more than 4% above the mid-market rate is overpriced. SWIFT transfers usually carry the highest hidden cost; specialist money transfer services typically beat banks by 1–3%.
Is now a good time to buy US Dollars with Rand?
Timing FX is hard. If the rand is weak (high USD/ZAR), waiting for a stronger rand may save you money on dollar purchases — but the rand has had sustained weak periods. If you need dollars for a fixed expense (US tuition, share purchase, emigration allowance), averaging your conversions over weeks usually beats trying to call a bottom.
How much USD can I send abroad as a South African resident?
Your Single Discretionary Allowance (SDA) is R1 million per calendar year for any purpose, with no tax clearance required. Above that, your Foreign Investment Allowance (FIA) is R10 million per year, requiring a SARS Approval International Transfer (AIT). Both reset on 1 January.
Other currency pairs
Source: European Central Bank, via Frankfurter