USD/ZAR update & alerts
1 USD = 14.93 ZAR
USD/ZAR Exchange Rates and Providers Compared
This guide to the United States Dollar to South African Rand exchange rate with 90-day chart & alerts, historic rates, forecasts and USD to ZAR comparison tables for foreign transfers and travel money rates and fees on offer by banks and foreign exchange providers. If you want to calculate equivalent amounts in foreign currencies or rate margins then use our USD/ZAR Quick Calculator.
Exchange rates can vary significantly depending on the transaction type (transfer, cash or card), currency pair and amount. The below table shows an example of total costs charged by FX specialists and banks for USD/ZAR International Money Transfers. Costs are calculated against the current interbank mid-rate.
| Foreign Transfer Providers | Receive ZAR(R) | Exchange Rate | Fee USD | Total Cost | Deal Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | R146,700 Best Overall | 14.67 | 0^ | 1.66% | |
Banks - Average Rate     Average Bank Rate | R142,492 R4,208 less | 14.33 | 15 | 4.48% |
Example of the margins and possible savings when you order travel money online with a currency specialist rather than in-person from banks and currency kiosks.
| Travel Money Providers | Amount ZAR(R) | Exchange Rate | Fee USD | Total Cost | Deal Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Banks - Average Rate Average Bank Rate | R13,821 R139 less | 13.96 | U$10 | 7.36% | |
 | R12,864 R1,096 less | 12.8641 | 0^ | 13.77% |
USD and ZAR in the Markets
When determining the best time to make a foreign exchange transaction, in this case the USD vs ZAR, you should pay attention to the recent market trends for both currencies.
United States Dollar (USD)
The US dollar has held its value this year despite a serious escalation in US-China trade tensions, mainly because the greenback is still considered a safer currency to own than most others. After grim employment data on June-7, the Dollar Index was up 0.5 percent on the year (it had fallen 2 percent from May’s 2-year high).
As in other parts of the world, interest rate cuts are now expected in the US following a drastic shift in economic forecasts. At least two Fed cuts are expected this year, with the first most likely to come in July.
Taking the blame for the economic downturn is US President Donald Trump, whose trade policies have set a ball rolling that could wipe $455bn from global output according to the IMF.
Read more in the article USD Forecasts.
South African Rand (ZAR)
2018 was a grim year for the rand: it lost 14 percent of its value against the US dollar and lost 10 percent against the euro.
Stability returned in the first 5 months of 2019, with no change against the dollar and a 2 percent gain versus the euro.
Talk in May was all about the election, which was again won by the ANC party, led by Cyril Ramaphosa. This spurred a relief rally in the rand, but a serious fall in support for the ANC since 2014 suggests Ramaphosa will struggle implementing much-needed economic reforms.
With the election out of the way, analysts at Deutsche Bank are expecting the rand to weaken throughout the rest of the year.
"We think [rand] optimism will prove short-lived as the market quickly refocuses on deteriorating fundamentals," Deutsche said.
Why can't I just get the USD/ZAR market rate I see online or in the media?
The mid-rate is the rate you will see quoted online or the news. It is actually just the half-way point (hence mid-rate) between the last rate at which the USD / ZAR was traded (bought or sold) in the international markets.
All foreign exchange providers charge a fee for providing their service and this fee is usually contained within the exchange rate margin (or difference to the mid-rate). Some providers such as Transferwise will quote you the mid-rate (or close to) and charge a separate percentage fee.
Our real-time foreign transfer and travel money/cards comparison calculators make shopping around easy and help you calculate how much you can save.
We help you Compare & Save Money on Exchange Rates.
View all USD Exchange Rates